Crimson Blood, Crimson Paint
by Trunksblue
Summary: Xmen: evolutionBatman crossover. Chapter 22 up! FINISHED
1. One

Disclaimer: I do NOT own any X-men or Batman, though I wish I did. ::Sigh::

A/N: This is certainly… different… O_o I hope you all like this. Oh and guess who's back! (Kinda…) She's from my story 'Guys Just Don't Understand'. ::Smirks:: 

~*~*~

"MOMMY'S DEAD.

 DADDY'S DEAD.

   BRUCIE'S DEAD.

I SHALL BECOME A BAT"

-Arkham Asylum. 

~*~

He could feel his hands; his body, tremble and shiver violently. Crimson blood dripped and ran down his arms and hands.

 What had led him to this?

He dropped the blade to the ground, tainted with the blood of two. 

 Him and the bat.

Darkness so black began to consume him and he started to feel tired. Then there was nothing, no him, no Gotham City, and no Batman. 

~*~

 "I don't know where he came from Professor, he just like, was there."

 "I understand Kitty, it's okay. You can go back to bed now."

The wide eye bubbly Valley girl nodded and slipped from the room back the way she had come. A large furry blue man shook his head and straightened up when he finished bandaging the unconscious man's hands and arms. 

 "These were self inflicted wounds," He frowned removing the man's mask and belt, he looked through a few of the compartments and raised an eyebrow, "How strange…" He muttered

 "Who is he, Hank?"

Hank furrowed his eyebrows, "I don't know Logan, he doesn't have any I.D on him, and he's not a mutant…"

 Logan glanced down at the wounded man dressed in black, "Wonder what's with all the bats." He grunted patting his pockets for a cigar.

 "What have I told you about smoking in here?" Xavier warned him before he could even light the cigar.

"Right, the mind thing." Logan snorted shoving the lighter and cigar back into his pocket.

Hank chuckled softly as he set the mask and belt aside, "Well I'm going back to bed," He yawned stretching his arms, "You know where to find me incase anything comes up." 

Xavier nodded, "Thanks again for you help." 

Hank smiled and left the room with another yawn.

 The unnamed man groaned softly and began to stir. Opening his eyes he sat up quickly, eyes darting around the room only to rest on Logan and Xavier.

 "Where am I?" His voice cracked slightly from lack of use, "And where is my stuff?" He demanded searching for his belt and mask. 

 "Please calm down," Xavier approached the side of the bed, "My name is Professor Charles Xavier and I own this facility. One of my students found you unconscious on the lawn, may I ask how you got there?" 

The man looked confused for a moment, "I don't know." He grunted looking away.

 "What is your name?" 

He turned back to Xavier and frowned, "Where am I?" He asked ignoring the previous question. 

 "My school for the gifted," Xavier responded with a small smile, obviously proud of himself. 

 "R-ight… Where is this place?" 

 "Bayville, New York." Logan answered this time; he glared at the unnamed man and folded his arms over his chest.

 "How the Hell-"

 "What's yer name, bub?" Logan cut the man off from his muttering.

 "Batman." Was his answer.

Logan snorted, "What a surprise, now what's yer _real _name?" 

 Batman scowled but figured that since the really didn't know who 'Batman' was, he was in the clear. Sort of.

 "Bruce Wayne." He answered as he climbed off the bed and examined himself. 

His hands were bandaged tightly; he scowled and looked down at Xavier who was speaking to him once again.

 "I suggest you get some rest, who have lost quite a bit of blood." He warned.

Bruce looked away, "I've survived worse." He grunted finding his belt and mask.  

 "Was there a part I wasn't invited too?" A woman with strawberry blonde hair and dark blue eyes with an odd glimmer of red, stepped into the room.

 Logan shook his head, "What are you doing up this late, Virginia?" 

 "Eh, you know, just wandering around torturing a couple random people from the male side of this species." She smiled evilly.

Logan smirked, "Did ya get Scooter again?" 

 "Of course." 

Bruce, having had enough of this 'weirdness', snapped on his belt and grabbed his mask, "How do I get out of here?" He growled.

Virginia's attention snapped over to Bruce, "Who're you?" She asked raising an eyebrow. 

 "Bruce Wayne." 

 "Was this a costume party?" She asked turning back to Logan who shook his head, "Then what's up with Batman here?"

 "You know who he is?" Xavier furrowed his eyebrows. 

Virginia nodded, "Yea. I used to read the comics when I was a kid," She grinned, "I loved the cape and the mask." She made a cat-like noise then laughed.

Everyone stared at her worriedly. 

 "Comic… you mean I'm not _real _here!?" His eye twitched slightly 

 "Of course you're real, you're standing right there!" Virginia said matter-of-factly then sighed, "Are you _really _Batman?" 

Bruce nodded and her face lit up a little.

 "No idea's Miss. Red." Xavier warned warily. 

 "I'll show ya around, Bruce," Logan grunted then turned to Virginia, "Why don' ch'ya go an' bug Scooter fer awhile?" 

Virginia sighed, "Listening to him scream like a girl can only be fun for so long…" 

~*~*~

A/N: So what do ya think? Please Review? ^____^      


	2. CHAPTER TWO!

A/N: Thank you for the reviews!! ^___^

~*~

"I MUST BE A CREATURE. I MUST BE A CREATURE OF THE NIGHT."

 -Arkham Asylum.

~*~

He was sitting in his new room alone. The lights were off, the curtains closed, and the only source of light came from the clock on the dresser. 

 12:36

He glared down at his hands, they were numb; and not just numb, the pins and needles kind of numb that could drive one crazy after a while. He opened and closed them a few times then sighed and leaned back in the bed. He didn't even realize that he had fallen asleep until he jerked awake trembling in a cold sweat. The nightmare still fresh in his mind he climbed out of bed and sank down onto the floor next to it. Drawing his knees up to his chest he tried to force the nightmare to the back of his mind.

 _"How dare you embarrass me that way, Bruce! It's only a movie for God's sake! It's not real."_

 "No…" Bruce whispered squeezing his eyes shut.

 _"Bruce, I'm warning you! If you don't stop crying and act like a grown-up, I'm leaving you right here. Understand? I'm leaving you right here."_

 He could still hear the gun going off and the scream that followed, his scream.

Climbing to his feet, he stumbled to the door and pulled it open. Somehow he made his way down into the kitchen, where he found Logan sitting in his boxers at the kitchen table casually drinking a beer. 

 "Yer up late." He grunted taking a swig of his beer.

Bruce frowned running a shaky hand through his hair, he sighed and took a seat at the table. 

 "Couldn't sleep." He admitted.

Logan nodded, "Nightmare?" 

 "No… reality." Bruce grumbled leaning back against the wooden chair; he suppressed a shiver when the cold wood hit his bare back. 

 "Ah," Logan swallowed down the rest of his beer; he knew all too well what Bruce was talking about, "Want one?" He asked holding up the empty can.

Bruce shook his head. Logan shrugged and sat the can down on the table.

 "Batman yer code name, or somethin'?" 

 "Or something," He licked his lips not sure whether he wanted to be Batman or Bruce right now, "It's an alias I go by when fighting crime." He decided to settle between the two identities for the moment.

 "Fightin' crime, huh?" Logan raised an eyebrow, "Like, bank robbers?"

Bruce snorted, he briefly wondered how Gotham City was doing about now, "The bank robbers in my world are a lot different than yours. I bet Joker right now is having a field day." With him gone and Robin d-

 "Joker?" And he thought Magneto was a stupid name.

 "A psychopathic serial killer."

Logan looked away; Egotistical mutant V.S Psychopathic serial killer, sounds like fun…

Rubbing his eyes, Bruce climbed to his feet, "I'm going to head back upstairs," He looked around for a clock, 4:30, "Good morning…" 

 Logan raised a puzzled eyebrow and glanced over his shoulder at the clock, "Huh." He turned back finding the room empty. 

~*~

 There was no chance in him going back to sleep; he was wide-awake now and trying to clear his racing mind. Slowly he moved through some of his Tai-Chi forms in his bedroom. A knock at the door made him lose concentration, sighing he ran a hand across his forehead and pulled open the door. 

Virginia stood on the other side dressed in some kind of red uniform. She grinned up at him as she folded her arms across her chest. 

 "Just thought I'd let you know about Danger Room sessions."

Bruce raised his eyebrows, "'Danger Room?'"

 "Oh yea," Virginia smiled, "we all train down there, first it's the younger students then the teachers and such train. Logan uses it all the time as a dojo to teach some of the students Karate… or something like that. Anyways, training starts in ten minutes, you can watch if you want."

Bruce turned and walked back into his room and pulled on a shirt, "Let's go." 

 Virginia nodded, "It's this way." She said turning to her left. 

As they walked down the hallway Virginia began humming, "Na, na, na, na…" She stopped suddenly and glanced up at Bruce.

 "What?" He grunted looking down at her uncertainly.

 "What's it like having two identities?" She asked softly, the smile vanishing from her face, like frosting from a cupcake.

Bruce shrugged, "It can get difficult at times I guess." 

Virginia nodded solemnly, "Quick! Let's 'rush' to the elevator Batman!" She shouted, the grin returning.

  'And I thought Joker was crazy…' Bruce thought worriedly.

~*~

A/N: Bruce's nightmare I got from the comic book 'Arkham Asylum'. (A very good, very odd comic. Can you tell I liked it?) And just to make sure I didn't confuse anyone the 'song' Virginia was humming was the old Batman theme song. If anyone's seen the old 1960(?)'s version of Batman then you… would know that… O_o along with the 'rush' joke. 

 PLEASE REVIEW!


	3. Chapter III

 A/N: OOH! Thank you everyone for your reviews!! ^___^ A cookie to all!!

~*~

"Afraid? Batman's not afraid of anything. It's _me I'm _afraid. I'm afraid that the Joker may be _right _about me."

-Arkham Asylum

~*~

He sat in silence in the small glass room overlooking the action below. The kids scrambled around the floor using different techniques, different _powers _to take down the mechanical beings in the room. 

 "Impressed?" 

Bruce turned in his seat to see a large furry blue man walk in, he nodded, "I haven't seen anything like it before." He wasn't very fazed by the appearance of the man; he had, after all, just met Kurt, a little blue elf-like boy. 

 "My name is Henry McCoy." The man stuck out his large blue hand.

Bruce glanced down at his own hands, still bandaged from earlier, "Bruce Wayne." He said looking back up at Hank.

Hank dropped his hand to his side, "Ah, yes. I forgot about your hands…"

 "VIRGINIA!!!" Scott's irritated scream cut through the room followed by laughter that could only be described as evil. 

Hank sighed and shook his head as he walked to the window and watched Scott leave the room in a rush. Bruce walked over to him looking curious. 

 "What happened?" He asked eyeing Virginia leaning against a wall laughing hysterically. 

A few of the other students were grinning while some of them just looked disgusted. Hank couldn't help the smirk that pulled at his lips as he turned to Bruce.

 "As you may have noticed, we are all mutants here and mutants have special powers. Virginia there has the power to make people PMS, or maybe I should say menstruate."

 Bruce looked back at Virginia, then back at Hank, "So-"

 "Dr. McCoy!" Scott shouted as he barged into the room, "I cannot keep doing this!" He began to sob as he held his stomach in, what Bruce assumed was pain. 

 "Scott, calm down," Hank frowned, "I've told you this before, it'll only last a day or two… hopefully." 

Scott's eyebrows shot up in panic, "'Hopefully'?! What do you mean _'hopefully'_!?" He squeaked. 

  "Oh come on, Scooter! Yer gonna live!" Logan walked in grinning.

Scott huffed, "You just don't understand!" His lip quivered and he turned and ran out of the room breaking down into hysterics. 

 "I suggest you stay on Virginia's good side." Logan smirked folding his arms over his chest.

Bruce nodded slowly, "Yea, I see…"

 "I should probably go check on Scott," Hank made a face then turned to Bruce, "It was nice meeting you, Bruce." 

Bruce nodded, and Hank disappeared out the door. Logan walked over to the window and looked down making sure everyone had left the Danger Room.

 "Nice mask." Bruce commented, it reminded him of his own mask. 

 Logan raised an eyebrow but chose to ignore the remark, "Chuck wants ta talk with ya." 

  "What?" That was a little random.

Logan tapped on his temple, "Ya must have some pretty good mental blocks, 'cause Chuck couldn' get through. He wants ta talk to ya."

 Bruce nodded and walked from the room, Logan shook his head ~Yer right Chuck, somethin' ain't right with that guy~

~*~

 Charles Xavier tried to scan Bruce's mind but was stopped short by a mental block Bruce had slammed down, most likely unconsciously… or that's what he kept telling himself. He caught a few quick images before being kicked out, one of a boy in a red, black, and green costume hanging upside down over a vat of some kind of liquid… And then he was falling. The images blurred into one of a later time, a tombstone with the name Timothy Drake carved deeply into the marble. The last memory he saw was of a little boy kneeling on the sidewalk crying hysterically. 

 A knock at the door scattered his thoughts, "Come in." He called out putting some files away in his desk. 

Bruce walked in, his face blank and reading of no emotion at all. 

 "Bruce, how are you feeling today?" Xavier asked, tenting his hands under his chin.

 "Fine." Bruce grunted, his fingertips twitching. 

Xavier attempted a mind weep but was once again kicked out. 

 "My mind's not a nice place to be, I suggest you stay out." Bruce narrowed his eyes.

Taken aback, Xavier leaned forward in his chair, "How did you build your mind blocks so well?" 

 "Practice." Bruce grunted simply, he didn't like telepathist; J'onn (Martian Man Hunter) was the only exception, he had proven himself trustworthy. Xavier had not as of yet. 

There was a soft knock at the door then it slowly opened, a girl with dark brown hair and white bangs stuck her head inside.

 "Can ah talk to you for a minute, Prof.?" He voice was thick with a southern accent. 

Xavier cleared his throat and nodded, "Uh, yes Rogue. We were just finishing up here." He glanced at Bruce who frowned back at him then exited the room. 

Rogue stepped inside the office, a wave of confusion washed over her face, "Who was he?" 

 "Bruce Wayne." Xavier sighed rubbing his temples. 

 "…Bruce Wayne as in… Batman?" She asked slowly a smirk tugging at her lips.

Xavier nodded, "Yes, him." 

Rogue shrugged, "Who woulda thought that a cartoon character was _real_?" 

~*~

A/N: Please Review!!!


	4. ChApTeR Yon

A/N: Thank you Eden, Wolvies gal 1, and Xiowolfe for your reviews. ^___^

~*~

_"A wolf howls. I know how he feels."_

**-Dark Knight Returns**

~*~

Virginia laid awake listening to the muffled screams coming from down the hall. The others had grown used to the nightly ritual of others screaming in their sleep, she had not.

 'It's like having another Logan.' She thought frowning slightly. 

Climbing out of bed, she made her way out into the hallway. Nightlights dotted the walls lighting her way. She stopped in front of a door that was slightly a jarred then slowly walked passed.

 "Virginia?" 

She paused and turned to the door and poked her head inside, "Sorry Rob, didn't mean to wake you." She whispered inside to the small boy curled up in several blankets. 

 "Are you going to see who's crying?" He whispered, his eyes shining purple in the dim light, "I bet it's that new guy."

Virginia nodded, "I'll go see, you go back to sleep, okay?" 

 "Alright." Rob lay back down and was out in seconds. 

~*~

_A spotlight turned on over the vat of bubbling acid and hanging above it by a thin rope was-_

_ "Robin!" Batman shouted, his eyes widening._

_ "Batman, help me!" Robin screamed, his feet dangling just inches from the acid._

_Batman turned glaring at the one responsible for everything, "Joker! Let him go!" _

_ "Now why would I do that?" Joker grinned, "That'd be no fun." He leaned over and pressed a large blue button, "Oopsy!" He cackled evilly as Robin screamed falling into the vat, the acid greedily ate him up. _

_ "NOOO!!!!"_

~*~

Virginia stepped into the room just as Bruce jolted awake gasping for air. She stumbled backwards in surprise, accidentally running into the door and slamming it shut. Bruce stumbled out of his bed and into a fighting stance.

 Virginia gasped falling onto her butt, "Wait! It's me!" 

 "Virginia? What are you doing in here?" Bruce frowned straightening up, he sighed running a hand through his sweat soaked hair. 

 "You were screaming in your sleep, I came to wake you…" She trailed off as she climbed back to her feet.

Bruce shook his head then smiled, "Thanks." 

Virginia laughed slightly, "Why are you thanking me? You woke up before I had the chance to wake you." 

 "It's the thought that counts." 

 "Yea well," Virginia looked away, "You're awa-… what happened to your hands?" She asked suddenly, now focusing on his bandaged hands.

Bruce frowned slightly, "You know, curiosity killed the cat." 

Crossing the room, Virginia smiled, "Satisfaction brought it back." 

 "I tried to kill myself." He said bluntly, his eyes never leaving hers. 

The smile slipped from Virginia's lips, "Why?" She never understood why someone would try/do such a thing; it never made sense to her. 

 "I messed up, lives were lost and the Joker won."

 "You were letting him get the last laugh." She said softly noticing the transaction between Bruce's two identities, some where in the back of her mind she wondered which one was his true self. 

 "No!" Bruce growled, "he's dead, there was _no_ last laugh." His icy blue eyes darkened slightly.

 'Lives were lost…' His words struck something within her mind, "Who was killed, Bruce?" She whispered taking a step forward; this had to be the source of his nightmares…

 He looked away closing his eyes, "Robin." He said bitterly, it was all his fault.  

~*~

A/N: The next chapter will be up soon!! Please review! 


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thank you DCJ, Xiowolfe, and Eden for your reviews ^__^!! 

Batman is based on both the cartoon/s, comics, and whatever else I see...  

~*~

_"I made a promise to my parents that I would rid the city of the evil that took their lives."_

** -The Long Halloween**

~*~

_'I._

_Am._

_A._

_Murderer.'_

 "But he told me that Joker was still alive." 

_'I'm going mad.'_

 "He lied."

_ 'I need to get out…'_

~*~

Sitting in the shadows of his room with the curtains drawn shut and the lights off, Bruce held the knife out in front of himself. He glared at the tip of the knife directed towards his heart then dropped it to the floor with a sigh. The blade of the knife seemed to shine despite there being any light, 'You tried it before, and look where it got you.' 

 Standing up, he padded his was passed the knife to the built in bathroom and slammed the door shut. 

~*~

 The clouds slowly moved across the sky in a rolling motion, a storm was brewing. Thunder rumbled in the distance and the clouds began to turn from a soft fluffy white to a dark angry black. 

 Logan pulled himself into a sitting position and sniffed the air; a slight scent of gunpowder and gasoline was in the air. Climbing to his feet he stretched his senses out as far as they would go, something was in the distance and it defiantly wasn't a storm, no, not yet. 

 He tilted his head as he heard the front door opened and closed. It was Bruce fully dressed in his Batman costume; some how he could sense what was going on as well. 

~*~

~I tried to kill the pain  
but only brought more  
I lay dying  
and I'm pouring crimson regret and betrayal  
I'm dying, praying, bleeding and screaming  
am I too lost to be saved  
am I too lost?~

Rogue frowned; Kitty's music was on full blast and giving her a migraine. Tossing her notebook onto the floor along side her pen, she climbed off her bed and went over to the wall and pounded on it. 

 Nothing happened.

She pounded on it again, "NOT EVERYBODY WANTS TO LISTEN TO EVANESCENCE RIGHT NOW!!" She shouted and this time the music turned down.

 "Like, what do you want Rogue?" Kitty asked poking her head through the wall, "I can't like, think with you pounding on the wall." 

Rogue rolled her eyes, "Will ya just keep your music down? _Please_?"

 "Yea, okay." Kitty smiled and disappeared back through the wall. 

Sighing, Rogue turned around walking back to her notebook. She glanced out the window and stopped, standing in the middle of the yard was Bruce Wayne… or Batman since he was dressed in his costume. His cape flapped gently in the breeze as he stood as still as a statue watching something out of her sight. Logan trotted up to his side and fell into a fighting stance, something was terribly wrong…

 _~X-men, report to the Danger Room immediately!~ _Xavier's mental voice was panicked and full of worry.

Glancing once more out the window, Rogue headed to the Danger Room in a full out run. 

~*~

 "You sense it too, don't you bub?" Logan grunted, his eyes narrowed as he listened for any new sounds. 

Bruce didn't move, after a moment of silence he took a step forward, "There's more dust in the air than usual." 

 "How can you tell? You've only been here fer a couple of days, an' ya haven't even been outta the mansion!" His voice was harsh and throaty, almost like the anticipation of what was to come was making him anxious.  

 Bruce didn't care to dignify his question with an answer.

~*~

 DEFCON 5.

The whole mansion was closed down, and locked. No one could get in, and no one could get out. There were people stationed on each side of the mansion, while the younger students were inside the mansion in underground rooms. Only four people stood outside in the front yard, Rogue, Wolverine, Feminity, and Batman. 

 The rumbling sound of a fighter plane's engine echoed in the distance, moments later the sound was joined with stomping feet. 

 "What did you do to get them this angry?" Batman asked, his eyes narrowing when the first line of soldiers became visible. 

Wolverine snorted, "It's the start of a war, and it isn't gonna be pretty," He unsheathed his claws with a sound that sounded like _SNIKT,_  "Think you can handle it?"

 "Done it before." 

Glancing back at the mansion, Rogue swallowed thickly as she tried to tap into the powers she had stored inside herself. After several long years trying to control her own power, she had stumbled upon controlling the powers she had stored inside herself. 

_ ~They're coming from all sides~ _Jean sent out, snapping Rogue from her own thoughts.

 "Logan?" Virginia whispered meekly, her usual arrogant/ happy go lucky façade washing away like chalk in the rain, "I don't think my powers are going to be very useful." 

 "You are the element of surprise, Red," Wolverine smirked slightly, "Now get ready." He growled, his smirk turning into a snarl, as the row of soldiers grew closer. Then suddenly they broke apart, over twenty of them disappeared into the trees as a fighter plane flew over spraying bullets everywhere. 

 The group dodged out of the way of the trail of bullets and took cover behind anything they could find. Wolverine let out a feral growl and took off for the woods.

 "Logan no!" Rogue screamed only to be ignored.  

 Batman reached into his belt pulling out several knockout grenades, an explosion caused him to stumble and drop one, setting it off. Cursing loudly he kicked it towards a tree where it exploded in a cloud of white smoke. 

 "What the hell is that!?" Rogue shouted shooting ice at the plane as it flew by again; she managed to get the left wing sending it crashing to the ground.       

 As soon as the plane hit the ground the sky above tore open and unleashed a torrent of rain.

~*~

A/N: Please Review! 


	6. 6th Chapter

_Do you know who I am, punk? I'm the worst nightmare you ever had, kind that made you wake up screaming for your mother..._

_-_**The Dark Knight Triumph. **__

~*~

Smoke, blood, and fear was thick in the air, crimson puddles of blood faded into streams of pink from the bodies of dead soldiers lying about the mansion grounds. Rain fell heavily making it difficult to see, making the ground soft and spongy and hard to walk on.

 Logan scowled surveying the area, suddenly the flesh around his shoulder exploded outward in a mass of skin and blood. Screaming in pain, Logan grabbed his shoulder as he turned around receiving another bullet to the head. The wounds quickly healed over to the dismay of the soldier standing in front of him holding his gun up with shaky hands. 

 Logan bared his teeth angrily, "Bad move, bub."

 "Oh God…" The man muttered shooting off another round of bullets only to watch the wounds they inflicted heal over in front of his very eyes. 

Logan snarled out lunging for the young soldier and thrust his claws into the belly of the oncoming soldier, "Ya shouldn't have done that." He growled turning his hand slightly. 

The soldier cried out, blood running out of his mouth as Logan pulled away swiftly letting the body hit the ground with a harsh thud. 

~*~

 Elsewhere, Virginia watched from behind a tree as the red flashes of Scott's optic beams suddenly stopped. Frowning she turned her attention on the unfortunate soldier racing up to the mansion and concentrated. The soldier stopped dead in his tracks, she concentrated harder and the scream that filled the air made even her skin crawl. 

_ 'Virginia!' _

She turned as a large wolfish dog ran up to her; his coat matted with blood and dirt, his yellow eyes sharper than ever.  

 "Luke!?" She hissed kneeling next to the wolf, "What are you doing out here? I thought-" 

 _'He's with Lance, now shut-up and listen to me!' _He barked flashing her his teeth.

Virginia winced, "Okay, sorry."

 _'There's an all-out attack on mutants at the moment, everywhere and not just here,' _Virginia gasped silently, _'Xavier's ordering everyone into the underground tunnels right now. You come across anyone I haven't seen yet-'_

 "I'll tell them, don't worry." She cut in wiping the rainwater from her eyes. 

Luke nodded then took off running into the woods; barking and screams of agony were heard only moments later. Virginia swallowed thickly and took off in search of the secret passage to the underground tunnels.

~*~

 "Please don't let me die here…" Scott sobbed weakly.           

His right arm was completely gone leaving only a jagged bone jutting out from his shoulder. 

Jean pulled his other arm over her shoulders, "We won't Scott, just hold tight." She glanced over at a stunned Rogue; just moments earlier Scott had been defending off three soldiers when one came out of nowhere and shot Scott's arm off with several well-aimed bullets. 

 "Snap out of it Rogue!" She shouted over the pounding rain and spray of bullets whizzing around them.

Rogue blinked then rushed to Scott's other side, quickly ripping off part of a dead soldier's shirt, she pressed the fabric to Scott's arm in hopes of stopping the blood. Scott howled out in pain and passed out. 

 "We need to get him into the tunnels." Rogue frowned helping Jean guide Scott's limp form towards the mansion. 

Jean nodded, her eyes trailing over to the red blur racing for the mansion. The crack of a gun going off halted the blur and it tumbled to the ground into a heap. 

 "Oh my God, was that Virginia?" Rogue gasped pausing in step.

 "Don't stop!" Jean shouted quickening her pace.

~*~

Disarming a soldier and shooting him with his own gun, Batman was finding it harder and harder to keep the animalistic rage inside himself any longer. He shot off a couple more rounds into the corpse before tossing the empty gun to the ground. A blur of red caught his eye; it was Virginia running up to the mansion. A soldier suddenly jumped out of the bushes and fired his gun, Virginia tumbled to the ground mud spraying everywhere. 

 "NO!" Batman shouted pulling out a bat-shaped throwing star and chucked it at the soldier nailing him in the neck. The soldier let out a gargled scream and fell over, drowning in a pool of rain and blood. 

 Snorting, he turned and quickly made his way over to Virginia.

 "Virginia?" He gasped kneeling down by her side and tried to move her.

 Pain jolted through Virginia's back, "Wait!" She grabbed onto his arm, "Go…go to…tunnel." She whispered, blood running down her chin and washed away by the rain.

 "You're going with me," Bruce frowned pulling his mask off, "You have to tell me where it is." 

Virginia smiled weakly, "You have such pretty eyes, you know?" She whispered softly falling unconscious. 

~*~

A/N: Please Review!!!!!!


	7. Chapter SEVEN

A/N: Sorry it's been awhile; I was grounded yesterday and had a bit of writer's block to top it off. _ But I'm back! And thank you for your reviews! 

A/N2: I forgot to mention this in the last chapter, Luke and Nikki and characters from another story I'm helping write, 'Crush' by Dead Caffeine Wolf.  

~*~

_My parents taught me a different lesson... lying on the street, shaking in deep shock, dying for no reason at all. They showed me that the world only makes sense when you force it to._

**_ -The Dark Knight Falls_**

~*~

Thunder or his heart pounding, Bruce couldn't tell which of the two he was hearing as he ran through the rain, through the onslaught of bullets and shrapnel with Virginia in his arms. 

 "Bruce!" It was Logan, crouched down low behind some sort of statue, "Hurry up!" He barked out over the rain.

Bruce quickened his pace, "She's hurt!" He shouted pulling Virginia closer to himself; Logan scowled throwing a hidden switch in the statue opening up a stairwell under the cement. 

 "Just follow the hallway to the third room on the right."

Bruce didn't even hesitate as he descended the stairs into a dark hallway; his only source of light was the dim string of light bulbs above him. He slowed as he came to the door and pushed it open finding himself in a room smelling of antiseptics and blood. A boy around the age of 14 or 15 ran up to them, his eyes were wide with fear and something Bruce couldn't quite place.

 "Is Luke with you? Where is Luke?" He asked panicky, his eyes darting around the room as though something was going to attack him at any moment.

 "No, sorry." Bruce frowned down at the boy who had begun to sob hysterically. 

 "What did they do with Luke!" The boy screamed balling his fists.

Another boy ran up to the two and grabbed the younger boy by the arm, "Come on Nikki."

 "Bruce! Bring her over here!" Bruce jerked his head to the right finding Hank waving his large blue hand in the air. 

Sidestepping the two boys, Bruce quickly made his way over to Hank, who was clearing a spot for him to lay Virginia down on. While Hank took over cleaning and dressing Virginia's wound, Bruce scanned the room. He noticed quite a few were injured, including Scott, who was now missing an arm. The boy from earlier was clinging to an animal of some sort at the far end of the room, he was still crying. 

 "We need ta get outta here soon!" A deep gravely voice barked as the door slammed open.

The room went silent as everyone gaped at Logan standing in the doorway, half his mask ripped off along with parts of his uniform.

Hank's eyes widen with worry, "We have wounded Logan, how are we going to get them all out?" 

Logan's voice is ice cold, "Leave the ones who can't walk, we don't have time." His eyes and face show no emotion at all as he turned for the door.

 "Leave them here!?" Bruce found himself shouting at the shorter man, "And what? Let those assholes take them and do God knows what…" His voice lowers; it's the Batman inside him surfacing, "But I bet you know what they'll do, don't you?" 

Not even having enough time to blink, Logan is on top of him claws centimeters from his throat. 

 "You know nothing!" Logan snarled pressing the tips of his claws to Bruce's neck; a thin trail of blood ran down Bruce's neck, "Yer in a whole new world, bub." He growled climbing to his feet and sheathed his claws.

 Bruce scowled and wiped the blood from his neck, he watched angrily as those who were conscious and could walk filed out of the room leaving the injured behind. He glanced around the room once last time and to his surprise, finds Virginia struggling to get to her feet. She stumbles forward and he catches her before she hits the ground. 

 "How-?" Virginia gasped, "You were…" She shakes her head, "Never mind." 

He helped her to her feet, "Can you walk?" His voice is looser than it had been moments earlier. 

Virginia shook her head, "I can hardly breath." She admitted frowning slightly.  

 "Hold on." Bruce grunted picking Virginia up fireman style then headed out the door and down the way the others had gone. 

Virginia leaned her head against his shoulder, she had heard what Logan had said and unfortunately, she knew he was right. 

 "You two are a lot alike." She sighed softly, her eyes shining dully in the dim light.

Bruce slowed his pace, "What?" 

 "You… you and Logan. You're both angry at the world…" A fit of coughs racked her body and she stilled briefly, "…at everybody…" She finished smiling warily up at him. 

Bruce shook his head, "Not everybody." 

~*~

_//Catch me as I fall  
Say you're here and it's all over now-//_

_//Fallen angels at my feet  
Whispered voices at my ear  
Death before my eyes  
Lying next to me I fear  
She beckons me  
Shall I give in  
Upon my end shall I begin  
Forsaking all I've fallen for   
I rise to meet my end//_

-Evanescence, Whisper.

~*~

A/N: Please Review!!


	8. Eight Chapters

A/N: Thank you all for your reviews! ^_________^

~*~

**_Superman:_**_ "More than anyone in the world, when you scratch away everything else away from Batman, you're left with someone who doesn't want to see anybody die." _

**Kingdom Come #4 **

**~*~**

Jean was sobbing bitterly into Rogue's shoulder as the group walked down the empty murky hallway. 

 "Why did we have to leave him?" She cried lifting her head, "Bruce brought Virginia." She glared at Bruce who simply ignored her.

 "I was awake and standing!" Virginia snapped, "Scott wasn't."  

Jean turned away, "You're not now." She muttered angrily.

 Gunfire echoed down the halls startling everyone into walking faster.

 "Logan?" Bobby walked up to Logan's side, "Where's the Professor?" 

Jean gasped suddenly, "Oh no! I forgot!" 

 "Where's Chuck, Jean?" Logan frowned turning to the redhead.

 "He went back into the mansion, said he forgot something…" Fresh tears sprang to her eyes as she tried to contact him telepathically, "He's dead…" 

Logan cursed loudly as he turned back around and continued to swear and curse under his breath. 

 "They're not far behind…" Rogue tilted her head slightly, "Sounds like they're getting further away?" Puzzlement washed over her face.

 "I can smell 'im, they're retreating…" Logan froze in mid-step his eyes widening, "Holy shit," He muttered before shouting over his shoulder at the others, "Run!!!" 

 His words were suddenly drowned out by a loud hum that seemed to echo in everyone's chest. Bruce could only see Logan's lips moving now as he screamed at them, 'Don't just stand there!' 

 Rob, being only six, began to cry in fear. Kitty quickly scooped him up in her arms as she ran following behind Jamie, who looked about read to cry himself. 

 "What the hell's going on?" Bruce shouted quickly catching up to Logan. 

Logan wiped at his forehead, "I'm not sure." He grunted picking up speed.

 "It's getting hot, even for me!" Roberto shouted over the hum, Rahne nodded then turned to Bobby who had coated himself in ice and was quickly melting.

 "Why don't you ice up the tunnel or something!" She shouted at him.

Bobby glanced at her and furrowed his eyebrows, "What!?"

  Watching helplessly as the others ran, Luke stood by Nikki's side trying to get him to get up. The boy had curled up into a ball and began to cry. 

 'Nikki!' Luke shouted mentally, then with all his energy transformed back into a human and lifted the boy into his arms.

 Random things started to catch fire; Kitty screamed when Jamie's shirt suddenly exploded into flames and engulfed his upper body. Logan shoved the boy to the ground and tried to extinguish the flames to no avail. Bobby iced then fire putting it out but also encased Jamie in the process. Logan unsheathed his claws and cut through the ice pulling out a slightly burnt and frightened Jamie. 

 "You alright kid?" He grunted checking over the boy's injuries, Jamie shivered then nodded, "Good, come on we gotta get outta here."

 Finally making it to the exit, Logan pushed open the door with out hesitation leading the group out of the inferno and straight into the group of waiting soldiers. 

 **~*~**

**Smile Empty Soul - Nowhere Kids Lyrics **  
  
//_in the land of dirt and plaster  
lies an army of a thousand nowhere kids  
losing ground and falling faster  
into a life that no one should have to live  
  
we are the people that you hate  
we are the bastards that you created   
a generation with no place  
a generation of all your sons and daughters//_

_~*~_

** A/N: **Cliffhanger! ^___^ Yea I had to end it there, sorry. And it's short too, _ Double sorry! But here I will give you all a cookie! And the next chapter WILL be longer. 

 So PLEASE review!!! 

A/N2: If you have an OC (or and X-men character I haven't mentioned) that you'd like to see in here, please E-mail me or include it in you review. Thanks. ^__^


	9. Chap Nine

A/N: Thank you Xiowolfe, Wolvies gal 1, and Dark Jaded Rose for your reviews and OC's. ^___^ 

~*~

"Mother."

**"Ah. Pearl." **

"Handle." 

** "Revolver."**

"Gun."

 **"Father."**

"Father? End."

**"Death. Stop. stop." **

_"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"_

-Arkham Asylum.

~*~

((FOH Conference Quarters))

A cup of hot, but not quite steaming, coffee was set down on the wooden conference table in front of Graydon Creed, founder of FOH. He nonchalantly lifted the cup as he glared at the man across from him, "How many Trask?" He asked straight to the point as always.

Trask smirked slightly, "four-teen alive, including one human." 

 "A human?" Creed frowned in disgust, "Continue." 

 "Ten dead, one of them was Charles Xavier."

Creed slammed his cup down on the table cracking the mug up the side as well as sloshing some of the coffee onto the table. 

 "Damn it Trask! I told you we wanted him alive!!"

Trask stared back at him blankly, he had his own issues to settle with Charles Xavier and he did it right there in the mansion, "Self defense." He frowned.

Creed narrowed his eyes, "Get out," He growled dangerously quiet, "Get out before I kill you." 

  Trask stood up brusquely and left the room without so much as a glance back. 

Creed scowled angrily at the guards by the door, "Kill him." 

~*~

 _"You're a disgrace to humans everywhere." The ugly man sneered at him._

_ "I think you have it mixed up," Bruce growled balling his fists, "You're the disgrace." _  

Bruce tried to open his eyes only realizing that they were already open. The darkness that swirled around him was so thick he could hardly breath, that and the broken ribs he had from the earlier fight. 

 A rat squeaked somewhere near by his head; he sat up quickly and felt nauseated by the sudden movement and the pounding in his head. Inhaling deeply through his nose, and nearly gagged from the smell surrounding him. A light overhead suddenly turned on lighting up the small dingy room with a dull glow. 

 Bruce was on his feet the moment the light turned on; he gaped at his surroundings in silent horror, bloody handprints lined the walls and floor along with some other substance he didn't care to know the identity of.   

A voice cackled over a speaker in the corner of the room, "Welcome home Brucy." The voice laughed in an awful high-pitched screech. 

Bruce scowled at the camera on the other side of the room, "Joker." He growled 

 "You thought you got rid of me, didn't you Batboob?" The Joker's voice dropped into a deadly whisper, "Well you were wrong. And you know what else you were wrong about?" 

There was a brief silence then a gasp, "Oh God Batman! Help me!"

 "Robin!" Bruce shouted taking a step forward.

Laughter filled the room again, "Think you can save him this time?" 

 "Joker, you sick bastard!!" 

 "Oh, I'm hurt," Joker's voice feigned disappointment, "Oh well," He laughed, "You have one hour and twenty minutes to get to your new friends and Robin before, 'bye-bye'." 

Bruce turned as the door to his cell slid open, "What are you up, to Joker?"

 "Wouldn't you like to know? Ta." 

Hesitantly turning for the door, Bruce pulled his cowl back on and made a run for it.

~*~

Logan glanced back at the boy sitting in the corner of their cell, the boy glared back at him through a mess of black hair.

  "What's yer name?" Logan grunted as he inspected the room for a way out.

The boy swiped a hand through his hair, "Jack, what's yours?" He asked tugging at the metal collar clasped around his neck. 

 Logan paused at a wall and frowned slightly, "Logan." He answered as he tapped a finger on the wall; it was thin enough for him to be able to cut through with his claws, if he could just get the adimantium-laced gloves off. 

  "What are you doing?" Jack asked as he climbed to his feet and approached Logan, who was tapping the wall in thought. 

Logan tilted his head slightly and scowled at the wall, "Somethin' doesn't seem right about this place," He grunted glancing around the room, "Its not put together quite right." 

Jack touched the wall lightly, "It's not metal," He said in puzzlement, "What the hell?" 

 "That's what I'd like to know." Logan growled pulling his hand away from the wall.

~*~

Virginia sat propped up against the wall; her fingers were raw from her attempts at trying to pull the collar off. Kitty and another girl watched her worriedly from the other side of the room. 

 "Virginia, you're fingers are bleeding," Kitty frowned wiping at her swollen red eyes, "I don't think you're going to get it off."

Virginia sighed in frustration and let her hands fall into her lap, "Damn." She frowned glaring at her torn and bloody fingers. 

 "You two obviously know each other…" The girl sitting by Kitty spoke up suddenly, "My name is Hayley." She smiled softly trying to lighten up the mood. 

 "My name's Kitty and she's Virginia." Kitty turned back to Virginia who had begun to cry silently. 

Hayley frowned, "Who turned you guys in?" She asked Kitty softly. 

 "No one, they attacked Xavier's School For The Gifted." Kitty rubbed a hand over her face. 

 "What happened to the others?" Virginia spoke up suddenly, "What happened to Rob, Kitty? What happened to Bruce and Logan and-"

 "Virginia!" Kitty snapped cutting Virginia off, "I don't know, but I bet they're, like, okay." 

 "The guys go to the other side of the building and kids under the age of ten are all upstairs." Hayley answered rubbing the back of her neck.

Virginia turned to her, "How'd you know that?" She whispered hoarsely as she clutched her wounded shoulder. 

 "My… my dad is apart of the FOH, he's the one who brought me here." 

~*~

A/N: Please Review!! ^___^


	10. cHaPtEr 10

A/N: Thank you everyone for your reviews! ^_____^ And thank you DCJ for helping me find the song at the end of the chapter. ::Hands out cookies to everyone.:: 

~*~

"Sometimes I… _Question_ the rationality of my actions. And I'm afraid that when I walk through those asylum gates… When I walk into **Arkham** and the doors close behind me… It'll be just like coming home."

-Arkham Asylum.

~*~*~

Running down the deserted old hallways, Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, was finding that every single room he checked was empty. It was like no one was in the building but him, him and Joker. 

 "Five minutes left, Bat brain." Joker screeched over the speakers then laughed.   

He slowed to a stop in front of a large wooden door, the last door, and threw it open. 

 "Four minutes left." The recording of Joker's voice laughed over the speakers, Bruce approached the box finding it attached to a bomb and his eyes widened in fear. 

~*~

 "Why don't you just break it down with that… metal thing… on your hand?" Jack suggested touching the wall again, "It feels just like regular ply wood or something." 

Logan furrowed his eyebrows and pressed his ear against the wall, "I do that and I get electrocuted," Logan frowned pulling away from the wall, "They've got this whole place wired." 

 "That'd explain the lack of metal around here…" Jack tugged at his collar then folded his arms over his chest, "So how're we going to get out?" 

 Logan looked down at the kid, who was about a foot shorter than him, and smirked slightly, "Haven't got a clue."

~*~

-*-Drip-*-****

   -*-Drip-*-

 Kitty eyed the growing rusty color puddle and frowned.

-*-Drip-*-

"That is the loudest dripping sound I have ever heard." Hayley muttered rubbing her temples. 

Virginia grit her teeth together, "You're telling me, it's driving me crazy," She hissed pressing a hand to her shoulder, "I wonder how the other's are doing…" 

~*~

 "I'm so cold…" Rahne shivered wrapping her arms around her knees.

Jean nodded in agreement but kept quiet. 

Rogue snorted glaring at the two sitting curled up on the floor, "You two are pathetic." She frowned searching for some way out of the dingy little cell they were locked in. 

 "Give it a break Rogue," Jean hissed angrily, "We all know that you're just as upset, so why are you keeping it to yourself?" 

 "Because I'm not perfect, Jean!" Rogue snapped, turning herself towards Jean as she involuntarily balled her fists, "I'll _never _be perfect like _you_!" Her voice held such venom making both Jean and Rahne shudder. 

 "Rogue," Rahne climbed to her feet and approached the now trembling female, "Rogue it's okay," She said soothingly pulling Rogue into a hug, "It's okay." 

 "No it's not," Rogue sobbed dejectedly into Rahne's shoulder, "They're gone. The Professor, Scott…" Her voice cracked as she spoke, "And what about us? Are we going to die too?" 

 Rahne shook her head gently rubbing Rogue on the back; she bit her lip in thought then sighed when she couldn't come up for an answer for the outsider. 

 Jean watched the two numbly. Perfect? She wasn't perfect. She thought pulling her knees up to her chest, truth was, she was _far _from perfect. 

~*~

  Graydon Creed stared up wide-eye with terror at the white face, red lipped, green haired clown grinned down at him. He vaguely remember reading a 'Batman' comic book when he was younger, when he was free from his father's abusive clutches, and the face staring at him right now gave him a _very _bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. 

 "I heard ya got some mutants in this here place." Joker sat back in the chair and spun around in it laughing. 

Creed aloud his eyes to wander over to his two guards laying on the floor, both laughing hysterically with tears streaming down their swollen red faces. 

 "You and me could have a great partnership here," Creed averted his eyes back to Joker, who now had his feet propped up on the table, "But…" He said singsong letting his feet falling to the floor again as he stood back up, "I don't really like partners, or you." He grinned pulling a gun out of the pocket in his pocket.

 "W-wait!" Creed managed to choke out, "Let's make a deal!" 

Joker grinned, "Ohh!! I used to _love _that game show!! Let's play!" 

 Creed racked his brain for something, anything, "I'll let you have full access to the Sentinels in exchange for my life." 

"Woo!" Joker cackled, "Sentinels? I think I'll pass; I already have everything I need. Sorry." He said pulling the trigger, Creed screamed expecting a bullet but instead got a lungful of purple gas. 

He coughed and sputtered a few times before cracking up into a fit of laughter. 

 "Ta!" The Joker waved tucking his gun back into his vest as he walked out of the room.

~*~

 Pulling himself from the burning rubble, Bruce rose coughing from the amount of smoke that had managed to get into his lungs. He glanced around at the wreckage and scowled, Robin was still alive and worse, so was Joker. But he had seen Robin fall into the vast of acid; he had even killed Joker with his own two hands. So how was it possible that they were both still alive? What the hell happened!? Portals weren't entirely out of the question, he had been through his share after all, but it was still highly unlikely.

 At the moment, that was the least of his worries, right now he needed to find Robin and the others. 

~*~ 

_~Just another lonely broken hero  
Picking up the pieces of my mind  
Running out of faith and hope and reason  
I'm running out of time  
Running out of time  
  
_

_Trouble always seems find  
A way to live inside my mind  
My haunted head and me remain alone  
Underneath my masquerade  
A simple man who's so afraid  
I try to find a light to guide me home  
  
_

_Momma please just hold me tight  
Feeling so afraid tonight  
Cause your the only one that really knows  
  
Just another lonely broken hero  
Picking up the pieces of my mind  
Running out of faith and hope and reason  
I'm running out of time  
Running out of time  
  
Fighting for my sanity  
Many nights of tragedy  
Got to leave my Wretched ways behind~_

-Ozzy Osbourne Running Out Of Time

~*~

A/N: Please Review!!! ^___^  
  



	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Thank you for your reviews! ^___^

**~*~**

**Batman:** "I'm always looking for ways to counteract my enemy's methods."

-JLA Issue 3 'Blame' 

_~*~_

_Maybe it's been a week, maybe a day, maybe a month… I don't know, we don't know, no one knows…_

 Bruce, cowl clutched in his right hand, glares hatefully at the bright red graffiti on the side of the brick building. 

**There is no peace for the sane.**

_Am I dead? Are we dead? Why aren't we dead yet?_

Dead grinning soldiers lay in the hallways, their index fingers wrapped around the triggers of their guns. Bruce passes by an officer door with the name plate 'Graydon Creed' and glances inside finding the man dead in his chair, foam running down his chin and his lips curled up over his gums in a torturous grin. 

 _All of our stomachs growl fiercely, we're all starving waiting for something to eat, even if it's just a crust of bread to pass around between the three of us. _

The first three cells turned up empty, then came the fourth, occupied by a single person swaying slowly from the ceiling by a thin rope from their feet. 

"Oh God." 

 "I see you've found the little Robin…" The most evil voice Bruce had ever heard in his life whispered in his ear. 

Not hesitating, Bruce swung around and grabbed Joker by his neck.

 "Careful Bruce," Joker hissed showing Bruce a little black remote held in his hand, "If I should drop this or even push the little button," He grinned flipping open the remote revealing a small red button, "You can just say goodbye to your little friends. _Every single one._"

Bruce's mind raced.

 "Who's it gonna be Brucy?" The Joker snickered, "Them or me?" 

_'He'll save us,' I had told them, Kitty and Hayley, 'Batman's gonna save us all, he always saves the day… always.' Maybe it's the fever from the infection growing in my shoulder, or maybe I've gone a little insane from lack of food, lack of sunlight, and lack of fresh air. The collar around my neck chafes; all of our necks have been rubbed raw by the thin metal collars._

_ 'He'll save us…'_

Slowly Bruce unwrapped his fingers from Joker's neck, "Let them go you dirty bastard." He growled through gritted teeth. 

A grin slowly washes over Joker's face, "Sorry Bat breath, but you're not gonna win this time." His purple glove-covered finger presses the little red button and an alarm goes off followed by a countdown in a female voice.

 _"Electric fields will be increased in ten minutes." _

 "What have you done!?" Bruce shouted lunging at Joker, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?" 

The Joker lets out a shrill laugh, "You lose Bruce! You lose!" He laughs, "No matter what you do you're going to loose someone!" 

 Slamming his fist into the Joker's smiling face Bruce silences him for the moment. Turning on his heal he races up to the closed metal door to Robin's cell and finds, to his horror, a growing puddle of blood on the floor under Robin's head. 

 _"Eight minutes."_

_Even through my fuzzy vision I can see the panicked look on Hayley's face, 'What's going on?' She keeps asking Kitty who doesn't even know herself._

_Why don't they know what's going on? They're both now looking at me with panic in their eyes, probably trying to figure out why I'm laughing…_

~*~

Muttering every curse word under the sun, in English, and even in some other languages, Logan steps away from the wall shoving Jack behind him. _    
 _"What the Hell's going on?" Jack snapped, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand. 

 "The electricity behind the wall's about to be turned up." Logan grunted, his eyes darting around the room for something, anything that can be of use. 

Jack's eyes grew wide, "What!?" 

 _"5 minutes…"_

 "Oh man, oh man…" Jack began muttering as he sank to the floor, "Are we going to die?"

Logan scowled angrily, "Probably." He grunted with a slight shrug. 

 "Thanks for the comfort." Jack grumbled pulling his knees to his chest.

~*~

 _"5 minutes…"_

Slamming his fist against the electrical box, Bruce muttered a few choice curse words before finally managing to open the box with a skeleton key.

 "Damn you Joker," He muttered turning the electricity off shrouding the room in darkness, "Damn you…"

~*~

A/N: Please Review! ^___^ 


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Thank you Xiowolfe and Wolvies gal 1 for your reviews! ^___^ I guess I was a little unclear as to who the italic writing was… _ sorry. That was Virginia's thoughts. 

**~*~**

**"We're going to kill each other, aren't we?**

** Perhaps you'll kill me. **

**Perhaps I'll kill you.**

**Perhaps sooner. **

**Perhaps later."**

-Batman, The Killing Joke

~*~

_~I'm nobody without you… buddy_

_ My long lost friend_

_If you're not here to hear me scream   
Am I silent like a dream   
Where all the dragons are my friends   
Each night we meet our bitter ends   
Do I need you to make me real   
Like Wheeler spinning his own wheel   
Quantum strings within my brain   
Popping sanities insane~_

 -Five For Fighting, Nobody

~*~*~

All the doors slid open in the pitch-blackness; freedom was just a short distance away, if you could see in the dark. Clawing at the wall he had been pressed against, Nikki screamed in bloodcurdling terror. Jamie stared wide-eyed at the spot that Nikki had been when the lights went out and curled up into a ball, afraid to move.

~*~

Logan, able to see a little in the darkness, grabbed a hold of Jack's arm and shoved him towards the door.

  "Wait! Wh-what's going on!?" Jack shouted stumbling as Logan pushed him. 

~*~

Kitty and Hayley both gasped when the lights went out. 

 "Am I dead?" Virginia asked weakly from her spot on the floor, she blinked a few times and sighed, "Hello? I think I've gone blind." She muttered lifting her good arm to wipe away the fever induced sweat from her brow.

~*~

Pulling on his night vision goggles; Bruce quickly scanned the floor finding the Joker gone. He cursed under his breath then darted for the now opened cell containing Robin. With a well aimed bat-a-rang, Bruce cut the rope and caught the boy pulling him to his chest as he fell to his knees. The boy was pale from the loss of blood, the blood that was now on the floor. 

 "Tim," Bruce called gruffly, but softly nonetheless, "Tim, you have to open your eyes! Wake up!" He shouted the last part angrily then pulled off the mask and felt a shudder run down his spine. 

~*~

 "Where are we going!?" Jack demanded digging his heels into the concrete floor and stumbled when Logan shoved his harder.

 "We're getting out of here while we still can!" Logan barked then stopped dead sniffing the air. 

Jack fell backwards when Logan took his hand off his back, "Hey!" He cried out catching himself, "What are you doing?" 

 "Spray paint," Logan muttered sniffing the air again, "fresh spray paint."

Jack furrowed his eyebrows as he smelled the air, "Yea… what about it?" He asked in the general direction he believed Logan to be in.

 Suddenly the lights turned back on and both Jack and Logan stepped back as they gaped at the walls. Written in crimson red spray paint were the words, 'There is no peace for the sane.' The words were written over and over again in a sloppy manner along the many 'Ha's decorating the gaps. 

 "What the hell?" Logan mumbled letting his eyes run over the walls.

~*~

  "What do you think that was about?" Jean wondered out loud as she glanced around the room with blinking eyes. 

Rahne shrugged eyeing Rogue who was checking out the hallways. 

 "I think we're free." She called back into the room to Rahne; she was obviously still pissed at Jean for unknown reasons. 

 "Great!" Rahne grinned bounding out of the room to Rogue, "Let's find the others and get these damn collars off us!" 

Jean gaped at Rahne as she joined the two in the hall, "Did you-?"

 "Yup, and I might do it again. DAMN!" Rahne shouted to the ceiling, Rogue suppressed a snicker at the expression that crossed Jean's face.

 "Well then," Jean said slowly, then smirked startling the other two girls, "Let's get the _hell_ out of here!" 

~*~

 Kitty gently shook Virginia's shoulder trying to wake her up, "Come on Virginia," She said softly as Virginia opened her eyes, "We're getting out of here, think you can walk?" 

Hesitantly Virginia nodded and pulled herself up into a sitting position with the aid of Kitty. She swayed slightly and Kitty caught her pulling Virginia's uninjured arm over her shoulders. Hayley joined them and walked on Virginia's other side as the exited the room out into the stark white hallways.

~*~

Everyone seemed to meet at the same spot all at once, right out side the cell Bruce was currently kneeling in cradling a still form to his chest. Virginia broke out of Kitty's hold and approached Bruce while the rest of the group watched on from a safe distance. 

 Logan finally turned to the others, his eyes darting from one face to another, "We're missing people, everyone split up and find them," He grunted then paused, "Jean, you stay here in case something happens," He gestured towards Bruce and Virginia, "Or if anyone comes here," Jean nodded and Logan turned back to the others, "Find anyone, bring them back here." He ordered and the group nodded then broke apart, Kitty and Hayley heading down one hall, Logan, Rogue, and Jack down another. 

~*~

Virginia paused a step behind Bruce, her vision swam in front of her briefly and she began to feel light headed. Ignoring it, she rested her hand on Bruce's shoulder and frowned slightly. A blood caked bullet wound marred the side of Tim's head, he probably died instantly from the looks of it. 

 "I'm sorry." Virginia whispered sinking to her knees next to Bruce, her legs no longer able to support her. 

Bruce lifted his head slightly, his icy blue eyes flickered to Virginia then back to Tim, "I failed," He frowned angry with himself, "I failed."    

_~*~*~_

_~You're too important for anyone  
You play the role of all you long to be  
But I, I know who you really are  
You're the one who cries when you're alone~_

 -Where Will You Go, Evanescence. 

 ~*~

A/N: Please Review!


	13. ThirTeen

A/N: Thank you Xerios, Xiowolfe, and Wolvies gal 1 for your reviews! Thank you Sebastian 1 for your review and lyric suggestions! ^______^ 

_~*~_

"I've been trying to figure out what he intends to _do. _It's almost _impossible. _I don't _know _him Alfred. All these _years _and I don't know who _he _is anymore than _he _knows who _I _am."

-Batman: The Killing Joke

~*~

As I took him in my arms he screamed, "I'm not insane! I'm just looking for someone to understand my pain…"

 -The Devil in The Wishing Well, Five For Fighting.

~*~*~

He laid Tim back down on the cold cement floor, back in the puddle of his own blood, he didn't want too but he knew he had too. He wanted to go after Joker right then and there, tear open his throat with his own fingernails, but he knew he couldn't. Virginia was leaning heavily against him now, weak from fever and infection, she was slipping back into unconsciousness. Quickly he pulled off his blood soaked gloves and tossed them onto the ground before turning to Virginia and gently lifting her into his arms. Jean turned away sighing inwardly as Bruce walked up to her, she misses Scott like no other right now. Her hand absentmindedly tugs at the collar clasped around her neck.

 "Here." Bruce grunted pulling out a skeleton key from one of the pouches in his belt. 

Jean hesitantly took the key and unlocked her collar, a sigh of relief rushed from her lips as she turned back to Bruce.

~*~

 'This time no one's left behind,' Logan repeats to himself over and over again in his mind as he raced down the hallways, 'No one…'

He was by himself now; Rogue and Jack had split off down another hallway sometime ago. 

  "Come on Nikki." A voice said softly almost sounding panicky. 

Logan slowed to a walk and ducked into a room finding Luke kneeling next to a trembling sobbing Nikki, on the other side of the room Jamie sat with his knees drawn up to his chest. 

 "Come on, we're gettin' outta here!" Logan barked startling everyone in the room.

Nikki started screaming and Luke glared at him angrily, Jamie however, was on his feet and at Logan's side in seconds. 

 "We're free?" He asked meekly, eyeing Nikki and Luke warily. 

~*~

Rogue found Bobby wandering around the hallways aimlessly; he was missing his shirt and had several large gashes across his chest, dried blood caked his torso and hands.

 "My God," Rogue muttered in her thick southern accent as she approached him, "Bobby? Are you all right?" 

Bobby paused in front of her; his eyes were glassy and seemed to look right through her.

 "My skin," He muttered blinking his eyes, "Oh God it burns, Rogue!" He said beginning to sob, "It hurts so bad, what happened to me?" 

Rogue carefully took Bobby by the arm, "Is there anyone else down that hallway, Bobby?" She asked softly glancing over his shoulder as she led him away. 

 He shook his head vigorously, "Only me." He choked back a sob as he clutched at his wounds, "Only me."

~*~

 "Is everyone here?" Logan grunted, approaching the small group that had formed by the exit of the building. 

Bruce shook his head, "No, we're still waiting for Rogue." 

 "She found Bobby, he's in pretty bad shape." Jean said softly, he eyes shut as she communicated to Rogue telepathically. 

Receiving a particularly nasty thought Jean cut the connection with a sigh, "How are you doing Hank?" She asked the blue mutant leaning heavily against the wall.

 "I'll be alright once I get some sleep." Hank replied groggily, patches of his fur were missing either from testing or stress Jean couldn't tell. 

 "Some one help me! I think he's gonna pass out!" Rogue shouted as she came around the corner with Bobby hanging on her with one arm, his head hung limply and his steps were becoming more and more dragged. 

Logan quickly walked over and scooped up the boy into his arms, "That everyone?" He turned looking around at everyone, "There's a safe house just a few miles from here, we should be safe there fer a while." 

 As the group walked out to the awaiting van Logan had hotwired earlier, Bruce couldn't help wonder where all the security had been. He hand Virginia to Logan then glanced over his shoulder one last time before climbing into the van, something was terribly amiss with this whole thing. 

~*~*~

The life you knew before is gone.  
There is no compromising.  
The life you save will be your own.

-Beginning of The End, Spineshark   
To find your inner senses.

~*~*~

A/N: Please Review!!


	14. Chapter 4teen

A/N: Thank you Xerios, Xiowolfe, Wolvies gal 1, and Sebastian 1 for your reviews! ^__^ 

~*~  
"Get the hell out of my cave."   
-Dark Knight Returns  
~*~*~  
The safe house was rather large and secluded in a spot in the way back of a forest, much like the mansion had been. Most took the opportunity to find a spot to sleep, while those plagued with insomnia wandered aimlessly around the halls or simply sat in their rooms silently crying.   
Logan, being one of the few unable to sleep, found himself on the roof facing a disheveled Bruce still in costume. He was standing with his head tilted back, face to the sky, his eyes scanning the sky slowly as though he were searching for something.   
"How's Virginia?" He asked without even moving.  
Logan, slightly surprised that Bruce had even known he was there, took a step forward folding his arms over his chest, "Hank an' Jean treated the infection and bandaged her up, she's sleepin' now."   
Bruce nodded mulling something over in his mind.   
"I need ta know something'," Logan started as he himself glanced up at the sky, "Who're we dealin' with here? You obviously know 'im, an' that kid…" 

"Tim," Bruce snapped glaring at Logan, "His name was Tim," Looking away, his eyes narrowed and his lips tightened into a thin white line, "Something wasn't right with that place… No security…" He said changing subjects. 

Logan raised an eyebrow letting his eyes fall onto Bruce, "That, what's his name, probably killed 'em all."

"No," Bruce shook his head, "No bodies, Joker _always _leaves behind a body…" His voice dropped in timber as he spoke, "Usually smiling ones." He turned away from Logan and walked to the edge of the roof and jumped off. 

Logan sighed inwardly and turned his eyes back to the sky.

~*~

A gust of wind shot into the room through the open window, cape billowing out behind himself, Bruce glanced at the wall finding a mirror. He scowled turning away preparing to take off his costume and put on some normal clothes. 

'If Joker has a some kind of dimensional transporter, he could have someone else working for him… or with him…' Bruce paused at the foot of his bed furrowing his eyebrows in thought, 'But who?' 

A glass dropped somewhere downstairs and shattered, Bruce turned for the door just as a scream filled the house. Pulling out a spare cowl from his belt, he pulled in on as he darted from his room and down the dark hallways to the kitchen. Pausing outside the kitchen door, his eyes grew wide as red smoke began to seep out from under the door. 

"What's going on?" Logan, Rogue, and Hank ran in having heard the noise.

Logan scowled at Batman and pushed passed him to the door, "Don't just stand their!" He growled throwing open the kitchen door. 

"No, wait!" Batman shouted then turned and shoved Rogue and Hank away from the smoke that billowed out of the now opened door, "Hold your breath!" Batman ordered the two as he pulled out a gasmask from his utility belt and put it on, "Go get the others!" 

Hank grabbed Rogue by her gloved hand and pulled her out of the room. 

Once they were gone, Batman darted into the kitchen finding Kitty curled up on the floor sobbing and Logan was standing in the center of the room staring at nothing in horror. 

On the wall was a note written in red marker, _'There is no peace for the sane.'._

~*~

"Even the safe-house isn't safe?" Jamie whimpered pulling his knees up to his chest from where he sat on the couch staring at Batman warily. 

Rogue, kneeling in front of a trembling Logan, glanced up at Batman frowning slightly, "What the Hell's going on here? I've _never _seen Logan like this, and truthfully, it's kinda scary."

"Exactly," Batman nodded, "He was subjected to a large amount of fear gas, I gave him and Kitty the antidote, they should be fine in a couple of hours."

"Fear gas?" Rahne asked over Kitty's sobs as she tried to comfort the girl. 

Hank raised his eyebrows, "Who exactly are we dealing with here, Bruce?"

"As far as I know, The Joker and The Scarecrow, a psychotic murderer and a master of fear." 

"That sound _real _good," Virginia muttered rubbing her eyes tiredly, "How'd they get here?" 

"I don't know. A dimensional transporter of some type most likely."

Jack and Hayley exchanged at look but neither spoke their thoughts. 

Jean paused her pacing, "Where would they get one of those?" She asked turning to Batman.

Pulling off his cowl, Bruce glanced out the window at the rising sun, "It's not 'where' they got it, it's 'how'."

~*~

__

In the corner of my mind   
Where he sits and waits for me  
There's a wall of confusion building  
And the sky begins to bleed on me   
Don't fall asleep to dream   
  
I'm looking for a way out now   
Peace of mind is all I need   
Don't fall asleep to dream   
  
I'm awake now   
(You can't touch me, I won't sleep no more)  
I'm awake now   
(You can't touch me, I won't sleep no more)  
I'm awake now   
(You can't touch me, I won't sleep no more)  
I'm awake now   


-Goo Goo Dolls, I'm Awake Now

~*~*~

A/N: Please Review!!


	15. BatChapter fifteen!

**A/N: **Thank you everyone for your reviews!!! ::Grins like idiot.:: Cookies and M&M's to all!!!

**~*~**

**Batman:** "Another mad freak. I hate made freaks."

-"World War Three Part Six: Mageddon"

~*~

After checking the van thoroughly for trackers and bugs, Bruce found himself wandering down the halls absently thinking about what to do next. 

 "Why do we have to leave?" A tired little voice asked from inside one of the rooms, Bruce paused and peeked inside the open door. 

 "We're going to another place." Virginia said softly holding the boy in her lap. 

Rob blinked back tears, "But I'm tired and I wanna stay here." He wined like a typical child of five would do under the circumstance. 

Virginia frowned slightly, "I know." She whispered hugging the boy. 

Knocking, Bruce slowly pushed open the door the rest of the way, "It's about time to go. You two ready?" 

 "Yea." Virginia nodded glancing down at Rob who was glaring at the floor tiredly. 

Bruce turned slightly, "We're all meeting in the living room in five minutes," He said watching Rahne and Luke talk to Nikki down the hall, he turned back to Virginia, "I have to go help Rogue with Bobby, see you downstairs." He smiled briefly at her then ducked out of the room and down the hall. 

 "You like him." Rob spoke up suddenly; his purple eyes sparkling with mischief. 

Virginia raised an eyebrow, "Oh? And how can you tell?" She smiled lightly as Rob hopped off her lap. 

 "I'm five, not stupid." He responded matter-of-factly. 

~*~

Black beady eyes set in the withered brown skin of The Scarecrow scanned the room of the now abandoned FOH building. 

 "Nice." A wrinkly grin spread across his face as he turned to the pale white face of Joker. 

 "Nice?" Joker repeated, "It's not just 'nice', it's superb! Do you know what I had to do to get this place?" 

The Scarecrow raised an non-existent eyebrow, "No, what?" He asked humoring the Joker. 

 "Nothing you idiot! Just had to kill a couple political baboons is all. No big deal." The Joker cackled then turned and marveled at his handy work.

 Where once stood a building of plain old brick was now a building painted a brilliant shade of purple, green, and white in the form of a giant smiley face. 

 "All done Mr. J!" A young woman came running up to the pair with a large bucket of paint in one hand a paintbrush in the other. 

 "Well done Harley," Joker grinned kissing the woman on the forehead, "Now," He said turning back to the Scarecrow, "Since we already informed Bat-brain of your existence here, let's say we have a little fun?" 

 The Scarecrow smiled, "Just what I've been waiting for."

~*~

A comfortable silence had settled in the van as Bruce drove down the deserted streets. Virginia, sitting in the passenger seat, lifted her forehead off the window and glanced over her shoulder at the others, all sleeping.  

 "How long will they be out for, Logan and Kitty?" She asked noting that the antidote for the fear gas had pretty much knocked out the two as soon as it started to take affect. 

 "Two or three more hours at the most." Bruce said lightly, his eyes flicking to Virginia then back to the road. 

Virginia nodded leaning back in her seat, "You know," She started picking at the bandages on her shoulder, "I'm still trying to figure you out… your voice I mean." 

Bruce furrowed his eyebrows, "My voice?" 

 "Yea," Virginia smiled, "You do this whole voice thing, I don't know," She shrugged glancing away, "When you put on your cowl your voice gets deeper, when you take it off or whatever, it gets higher. I think you have a voice problem." She grinned up at him. 

Bruce shook his head, "It protects my identity. People know Batman has a deep voice, and that Bruce Wayne has a voice of a higher timber." 

 "So… who are you _really_? Bruce or Batman?"  

 "That," Bruce smirked slightly, "I can't tell you." 

Virginia blinked, "Why not?" She asked furrowing her eyebrows.

 "'Cause then, I'd have to kill you." 

 "Wait," Virginia gasped mockingly, "Did _you _just tell a _joke_?" 

Bruce shook his head, "I think we're almost there." 

Virginia snickered, "You did! You just told a joke! You have a sense of humor after all!"

 "Since when have I not?" Bruce asked, eyebrows raised. 

 "Oh please," Virginia rolled her eyes, "You've been Mr. Serious ever since you got here…" She stopped suddenly, her mouth open in a silent scream. 

Bruce slammed on the brakes, the wheels screamed in protest as the van fish tailed to a jerky stop. 

~*~*~

_~ I'm not a perfect person_

_There's many things I wish I didn't do_

_But I continue learning_

_I never meant to do those things to you_

And so I have to say before I go 

_That I just want you to know_

_I've found a reason for me_

_To change who I used to be_

_A reason to start over new_

_and the reason is you~_

-Hoobastank, The Reason

~*~*~

A/N: I think I'll stop there for right now. ^___^ Review and find out what happened!!! 


	16. 16

**AN: **Thank you everyone for your reviews! ^_____^

**~*~**

**Batman:** "Odd. It would seem I'm still breathing."

"JLA Seven Caskets"

~*~*~

 The brown trench coat billowed out in the wind behind the tall scrawny man with a hideous withering brown face. The others save for Kitty and Logan, jolted out of their sleep and looked around frantically. 

 "What's going on!?" Bobby cried out holding his bandaged abdomen in pain. 

Rob quickly pressed himself to the window he was seated next to; a grinning pale face suddenly appeared before him startling him away from the window screaming. 

 "Hello their kiddo!" The Joker laughed tapping his long pale fingers on the glass. 

Virginia turned to Bruce, her eyes wide in fear, "Bruce! Do something!" She screamed over the cries and shouts of the others. 

 The Joker was now trying to pry open the van's sliding door when Bruce slammed his foot down on the gas and sped around the Scarecrow. The van suddenly grew quiet from the shock of the situation. Rob breaking into tears suddenly shattered the silence. 

 "I'm scared!" Rob wailed rubbing his eyes with his hands, Rahne pulled him to her side and he turned and began crying into her shoulder. 

Virginia's eyes flickered over to Bruce, she could see even in the dim light that he was gripping the steering wheel so tight his knuckles were turning white. Staring at him a little longer she turned her eyes back to the road in front of them and just listened to the shuddering intake of breaths from behind her. 

~*~*~

 Chatter could be heard in the next room when Virginia woke up the following morning, or afternoon, finding herself in a hotel room. Bobby stirred in the bed next to hers but didn't wake up. Nikki and Luke slept soundly in the bed next to his curled up in each other's arms. It was no big secret that the two were together, but it still gave Virginia an odd feeling seeing them together. She shrugged it off and climbed off her own bed smiling slightly when she found Rob sleeping on the couch near her bed, slowly she tiptoed over the sleeping forms of Jack and Hayley to the door conjoining the two hotel rooms and pushed it open. 

 Bruce was standing at the window peering out at the streets below, Logan was standing at the opposite end of the room rubbing the back of his neck in what appeared to be pain, Rogue stood next to him and Kitty sat at the small table between them all with Jean. Rahne walked out of the bathroom with a glass of water and handed it to Logan who greedily drained the glass in seconds.

 "So, who would it be?" Jean asked tapping her fingers on the table. 

Bruce turned around glanced at Virginia then looked at Jean, "Bobby most likely, either that or it's in someone's clothes." He voice was deep like that of the Batman's, Virginia smiled wryly as she stepped into the room and closed the door silently behind her. 

 "Why Bobby?" Kitty asked eyeing Jean's tapping fingers until she stopped. 

Logan handed the glass back to Rahne who glared at him and sat it down on the table, "'Cause he's the only one who was experimented on." He answered ignoring Rahne's look. 

The room was silent for a moment then was broken by Virginia clearing her throat, "What's going on?" She asked looking around the room. 

 "We think that one of us has a tracker on our clothes, or that Bobby has one implanted in him somewhere." Rahne spoke up finally after no one would.      

Virginia looked to Bruce, "The Joker?" She questioned remembering the long pale fingers tapping against the window the night before; she shuddered involuntarily and wrapped her arms around herself. 

 Bruce nodded turning back to the window; once again the room was silent as everyone fell into deep thought. In a few minutes, Virginia hoped, everyone would be up and awake fighting over who would take a shower first. 

No such luck.

~*~

Still at the hotel, (a rather large Holiday inn Virginia later noticed) some of the students went down to the pool to get their minds off what was going on. Bobby stayed in the other bedroom with Rahne as they played card games and talked about what ever came to their minds. Logan went out in search of any kind of alcoholic beverage leaving only Virginia and Bruce in the other conjoining room.  

 "You didn't sleep at all last night, did you?" Virginia frowned sitting down next to Bruce on the edge of the bed. 

He looked at her with a wary smirk and shook his head, "I'll be fine." The smirk vanished completely as the scowl returned. 

 "How many days has it been now?" She could tell by the tired look in his eyes that it had been awhile since he had had a decent nights sleep. 

 "Four days." He grunted rubbing a gloved hand over his tired eyes. 

Virginia's eyes grew wide in surprise, "Bruce! Now I know you've been without sleep before, for days at a time, but this time it's different. You need to get some sleep!" Suddenly feeling like a preaching mother, Virginia blushed and looked away from Bruce's amused grin, "Don't be a jerk." Virginia hissed narrowing her eyes at him, after a moment a smile broke out onto her face and she couldn't help but laugh. 

 "What's so funny?" Bruce asked furrowing his eyebrows in amused confusion. 

Virginia leaned forward kissing Bruce full on the lips. 

~*~*~

_All the world loves things of beauty and intrigue  
These 2 things I've never had one  
Born in this old skin. I'm too sick I can't win  
I've lived with this damage 2 long  
My eyes can't behold it I cannot control  
This, this feeling that's left in my heart  
I've never done no wrong. I don't deserve these bones  
Please burn up this sin when I'm gone  
And I said that this is ugly to me  
The world is ugly to me  
You are ugly to me  
And I am ugly to me  
_ -Ugly by Cold

~*~*~

A/N: Please Review!!


	17. Ch 7teen

A/N: ::Hands out cookies:: Thank you for the reviews!! ^___^

~*~*~

Batman to Superman: We know he used you, humiliated you, brainwashed you, wound you up like a tin soldier and turned you loose on earth. **CRY ME A RIVER**. 

 -JLA

~*~*~

A gust of wind and the light tap-tap of a pair of feet landing gracefully on the cement floor, Batman found himself in the dark former FOH building. In just a short amount of time he had figured everything out, how he managed to get to this dimension, how the Joker and Tim had managed to survive… His mind buzzed with anger and even a tad bit of excitement, this time he was going to kill the Joker. 

 A canister, painted red with a black smiley, rolled up next to his foot. Before he could react it exploded into a large cloud of red gas. Fear raced through his body, mind numbing spine tingling fear. Staring at the monsters from his nightmares, Batman shuffled back a few steps trying to calm his pounding heart. 

It had only been two hours ago that he was back in the hotel room with Virginia, two measly hours ago…

 ((Rewind Two Hours))   

 Virginia leaned forward kissing Bruce full on the lips. Responding, Bruce wrapped his arms around her deepening the kiss. Breaking free of the kiss, Virginia leaned her head onto Bruce's chest and closed her eyes sighing deeply. 

 "You already know where the Joker and Scarecrow are… you know everything, don't you?" She whispered. 

Bruce hesitated for a moment and Virginia pulled back looking him in the eyes, "Yes," He admitted with a slight nod of his head, "I know." 

 "Will you come back?" She asked, her eyes wide with worry and fear. 

 "I don't know. Maybe." He said standing up pulling the cowl back over his head. 

Virginia felt the bony hands of fear claw at her stomach, "W-where was the tracker? How were they finding us?" She asked trying to stall Bruce from leaving. 

 "It was on me," He stated simply kissing her on the forehead, "I have to go now." He turned for the window and pulled it open, his cape billowing out behind him as a gust of wind burst in through the window.

 "Wait!" Virginia shouted jumping to her feet as he climbed onto the windowsill, "What should I tell the others?" 

He glanced over his shoulder at her and smiled sadly, "You already know." He said then leapt out. 

 "Bruce!" Virginia cried out running to the window and leaned out finding Batman already long gone, "Damn you…" She hissed her eyes watering. 

 Logan walked into the room holding a bottle of beer up to his lips, he spotted Virginia leaning out the window and lowered the bottle, "What're ya doin'?" He grunted walking up to her. 

 Virginia pulled herself back inside and closed the window trying to suppress the urge to cry, "Nothing." She whispered bowing her head. 

Logan blinked, "What's wrong Red?" He asked, tilting his head to the side trying to get a better view of her face. 

 "He left," Virginia's voice cracked slightly as she looked up at Logan, "And I don't know why the Hell I'm crying." She laughed softly wiping at her eyes. 

 Logan hesitantly pulled her into a hug, "You know that he can take care of 'imself, you know that better than any of us." 

Virginia nodded against his chest feeling safe in his arms, "I know." She whispered closing her eyes.

~*~*~

Finding himself swinging between buildings made him feel homesick for a moment, but the feeling vanished when sights of the FOH building came into view. Batman landed softly on the ground and stepped up to the gate, his eyes narrowed dangerously as he glared at the large smiley painted on the building. 

 Pushing his way through the gate, he decided on the direct approach not willing to waste anymore time than he had too. 

He stepped into the dark room, letting his eyes scan the room for any threats. A canister, painted red with a black smiley, rolled up next to his foot. Before he could react it exploded into a large cloud of red gas.

 "I thought you were smarter than this Batman," A voice hissed in his ear, whirling around Batman found nothing but empty air, "Maybe you really have gone _batty_!" The voice squealed in laughter. 

Batman whirled back around and made a run for the door labeled 'stairs'. He pulled the door open finding that the stairs went up higher than he thought and were crawling with large spiders and snakes. Suppressing the urge to scream and run, Batman forced himself to climb the stairs. The creatures disappeared step by step, and the stairs weren't as high as he had thought. Wiping the sweat from his eyes, Batman proceeded on through the next door finding nothing but a chair facing the black painted wall.  

 "Scared yet, Bat-brain?" The disembodied voice rasped from the chair.

Batman took a step closer, the room expanded and nightmarish ghouls bled from the walls surrounding him. 

 "You should be. You have _no_ idea what you've just walked into." 

 "I'm not afraid of you." Batman hissed taking a step forward; the monsters began to close in on him. 

It took him all but a minute to realize that the monsters were _not _figments of his imagination but _reality_. One particularly grotesque looking monster grabbed Batman by the throat and lifted him up off the floor. Clawing at the thing's hands, Batman grit his teeth and kicked fiercely trying to escape from the blackness creeping at the edges of his vision. Slowly his hands fell to his sides and he watched the world fall around him. 

~*~*~

 _'Cause I'm broken when I'm open  
And I don't feel like I am strong enough  
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome  
And I don't feel right when you're gone away_

 -Broken by Seether featuring Amy Lee

~*~*~

A/N: Please Review!!


	18. ChApter 18

A/N: Thank you Xiowolfe and Sebastian1 for the reviews! ^___^ ::Hands out Batman plushies::

~*~

**Batman:** "I know it feels terrible, Clark, but we've faced terror and loss before. We were forged in those fires! We didn't go under! We didn't fall! Don't you dare fall now, Clark!"

-"World War Three Part Six : Mageddon"

**~*~**

** _SNIKT_**__

A sickening wet _pop _echoed throughout the room, blood soon painted the floors like a crimson paint. Logan quickly slashed through the on coming thugs attacking him with knives and bats among other things. A crazed grin spread across Logan's lips, he drew back his claws slick with blood. 

 "Next." He growled watching in amusement, as the remaining thugs' eyes grew wide in fear. 

Out of the corner of his eye he could see the creepy guy known as The Scarecrow, trying to sneak out a back door. 

 "Hold it bub!" Logan barked pushing passed the thugs.

The Scarecrow turned around slowly and watched in disdain as his minions escaped out the door Batman had come in earlier. 

  "Where's the other one?" Logan snapped shoving the Scarecrow against the wall and pulled him down by his collar so that he was face to face with him. 

 The other _man's_ beady black eyes stared back at him in horror, "I-I d-don't know." He stuttered in fear.

Logan scowled, "Wrong answer, bub." He growled killing the Scarecrow instantly with a claw through the brain. 

~*~

Virginia watched from the sidelines as Logan took out several of the thugs. Her eyes scanned the room for Bruce finding his being held up by the largest man she had ever seen in her life. Bruce was just dangling in the man's grip as he laughed evilly enjoying every minute of torture Batman was going through. 

 "Let him go!" Virginia shouted using her powers on the man. 

The thug glared at Virginia as he dropped Batman to the floor, suddenly his face paled visibly and he lowered his eyes slowly down to his crotch. 

 "What the-" He started pulling open the waist of his pants, his eyes rolled up into the back of his head as he passed out from shock. 

 A slight smile passed over Virginia's face, the thought of Bruce being hurt wiped the smile away clean. She quickly approached Batman's prone form and rolled him over on his back removing his cowl finding his lips blue and his face flushed. 

 "Bruce!" She whispered, checking his pulse.

 She sighed in relief finding that he still had one at least, "Breathe…" She murmured under her breath wiping his bangs off his forehead. 

Her fingers gently brushed against the bruising fingerprints on his throat. Not knowing what else to do, she pinched his nose and leaned down breathing into his mouth. She leaned back and watched as Bruce took in a deep breath and began to cough violently. After a minute, he pulled himself up, his hand trembling as he reached for his cowl lying on the floor beside him. His fingers wrapped around the fabric, the lifeless white eyes stared back at him and he let go his hand sliding back to his side. 

 "Damn it…" Bruce whispered hoarsely bowing his head, his whole body trembling. 

Virginia pulled him to her; the effects of the fear gas having finally taken its toll…

~*~

Logan slid to a stop by an open door and peered in, 'There's a hole in the middle of the room, a large gaping tear in the center of the room…' He stared at it a bit longer trying to figure out a way to 'shut it off'. 

 "Who the Hell are you?" 

Logan whirled around on his heel coming face to face with Joker, a horrible grin plastered to his paler than normal face. 

 "Oh wait, you're one of the Bat's _friends_, aren't you?" 

  Without wasting a second, Logan had the Joker pinned against the wall, his claws dangerously close to the other man's jugular. 

 "What are you going to do, kill me?" The Joker's grin grew.

Logan smirked, "I'm not like Batman, bub," He said in a slow gravely voice, "I kill without a second thought." 

 The Joker's annoying grin vanished suddenly then reappeared just as quick, high pitched laughter followed and was cut off abruptly when Logan shoved his claws through his throat. Letting the body slump to the floor, Logan turned back to the portal and glared at it. There were several different switches, none of which were labeled 'off'. 

With an annoyed grunt, Logan smashed his fist through the control box effectively shutting the portal down. 

 "There." He smirked walking out of the room feeling overly proud of himself. 

He walked back into the room where he had fought the thugs finding Virginia and Bruce sitting on the floor. Virginia had her uninjured arm draped over Bruce's shoulder and across his chest; her chin rested on his other shoulder as she whispered something so quiet that even Logan couldn't hear her. 

 "Red?" Logan grunted, approaching the two.

Her head lifted slightly and she turned to him, "He's going into shock from the fear gas." She frowned turning back to Bruce who had begun to rant incoherently. 

 "Help me, please?" Virginia asked trying to help Bruce to his feet with her good hand. 

Logan nodded and swiftly lifted Bruce into his arms; the younger man struggled against his hold but was too weak to escape.   
 "Where's the antidote?" Logan asked starting for the exit. 

Virginia followed beside him, "He said he was out…"

~*~*~

_The worst is over now and we can breathe again  
I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away  
There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight  
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain  
  
'Cause I'm broken when I'm open   
And I don't feel like I am strong enough  
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome  
And I don't feel right when you're gone away_

 -Broken by Seether featuring Amy Lee

~*~*~

A/N: Please Review!!


	19. chapter NINETEEN

A/N: Thank you everyone for the reviews! ::Hands out cupcakes:: I wrote this chapter a bit differently, but it's LONGER so everyone should be happy. ^___^ Yay!

**~*~*~**

**Green Lantern:**"Batman?"  
**Bruce Wayne:**"I'm over here....Kyle."  
**Green Lantern:**"No....!"  
**Plastic Man:**"Buh----Buh----Bruce Wayne? As in, who wants to be a millionaire Bruce Wayne? Batman is....I mean, he really...?"

"Dream Team"

~*~*~

 ((Rahne's POV))

The mansion has a cold feeling to it now… I don't think that the scent of blood and gunpowder will ever leave this place. The Joker and the Scarecrow were the ones who organized the attack against us, solely to get to Bruce, or 'Batman' as they called him. 

 I've never read comic books before, never felt the need too. Bobby, after we returned home, pulled me upstairs to his room and pulled out a box of comics. After several minutes of sorting out the 'Hell Boy' comics from 'The Punisher' comics he came across several darkly colored 'Batman' comic books. 

 "I just thought he was some crazy coot…" He had whispered to me as he flipped open one of the books and stared at the pictures, "I thought he was crazy…" 

 I shifted slightly so that I could see over his bandaged shoulder and frowned at the picture I saw, the same white face with the evil grin that will forever haunt me in my nightmares…

 A little while later, I left Bobby telling him to get some rest, my plans were to go downstairs to the kitchen but muffled screams and cries caught my attention. A paused in the hallway listening to them halfheartedly; it was Bruce, the reason of our misery and misfortune. Part of me said to keep walking, find Jack or Hayley and see what they were up too, but the other half was telling me to go and see if I could help. I approached the door belonging to Bruce's room and slowly opened it peering inside. 

 "No!" Bruce cried out airily, his eyes were wide open and glazed over.

Virginia was sitting next to him holding his hand, she looked up when I walked in and I frowned slightly. 

 "You okay?" She looked extremely tired and upset but she nodded nonetheless, "Want something to eat? I was just on my way to the kitchen?" 

 She shook her head and I left just as another attack hit Bruce and he began to rant, I don't think I could watch a famous superhero, a supposedly 'fearless' one, become a mass of nerves before my eyes.

 ((Logan's POV))

Cold beer in hand, not my favorite kind but enough to quench my thirst, I headed out the kitchen bumping into Rahne on the way. She muttered an apology before walking into the kitchen. She flopped down in a chair at the table and sighed glancing up at the others, Rogue, Jean, and Hayley. I left the room before they started talking, I could care less about the latest 'girl thing'. 

 I decided I'd check in on Red, she hadn't left Bruce's side ever since last night when we followed him to the old FOH building. The hallway was eerily quiet for once; just the sound of my feet hitting the ground and the fizz of my beer was all that I could hear. 

I walked into the bedroom silently finding Virginia leaning back in her chair rubbing her eyes tiredly. 

 "Hey Red."

She looked up at me and smiled warily, "Hey. What brings you down here?" Her voice was strained as she spoke.

 "Go get a shower and something to eat, I'll watch him for a bit." 

Her eyes slid back to Bruce, finally sleeping peacefully, "I don't know." She bit her lip and looked back at me pleadingly.

 "It wasn't a request, Red." 

 "Ok." She climbed to her feet and started for the door, "Thanks." She said pausing with her hand on the knob. 

I nodded and she walked out closing the door behind herself. I turned back to Bruce, the guy had struggled to keep a grasp on reality for a while, and he had even told us where we could get the antidote for him… back in Gotham City. Hank's currently at the FOH building trying to fix the portal I destroyed, and I had thought I did a _good _thing. 

Bruce shifted and opened his eyes glancing around the room, I waited to see what he would do, his eyes turned to me and he blinked slowly. 

 "How long was I out?" He asked sitting up, his voice is deep a contrast to the _other _voice he uses.

 "'bout an hour." I moved around the bed to his side and folded my arms over my chest, "Red should be back soon,"

He raised an eyebrow so I continued, "She hasn't left yer side since yesterday afternoon. I finally made her go and get a shower and some food."

 His face suddenly went blank, "She knows I have to go back." I couldn't tell if he was asking me a question or telling me, I shrugged and he looked away wiping sweat off his forehead. 

 "Hank's working on the Dimensional Transporter thing… Said he should be done by tonight ta get the antidote." 

Virginia walked in, her hair a dripping mess, she paused in the doorway as Bruce looked up at her and smiled weakly.

 "Hey…" She smiled slightly taking a step inside, "You feeling better?" 

Bruce nodded; he was lying, I could it in his eyes, he was trying to hold on, struggling not to fall but failing miserably as demons from his nightmares surfaced and became his reality. He held his ground though, braver than I gave him credit for.

 ((Bruce's POV))

 "Just tired." It's not true but it's not a lie either. 

The room has started to warp and spin, I can hear Tim screaming and the sound of pearls hitting concrete in the back of my mind. Logan frowned slightly at me then shook his head and left the room muttering a goodbye to Virginia. After he was gone, Virginia walked around the side of the bed and climbed in next to me, laying her head on my chest. 

 "Hank got the portal to work…" 

 I can see Tim hanging in the corner.

 _"Batman! Help me!!"_

I squeezed my eyes shut, "That's good." 

She nodded slowly, "Yea," She murmured, "You're going to go back…" It was more of a statement than a question.

 "Yes," The room was disorienting again, "I have too." 

~*~*~

_You're waiting for someone  
To put you together  
You're waiting for someone to push you away  
There's always another wound to discover_

_There's always something more you wish he'd say _

-Vertical Horizon, Everything You Want

~*~

A/N: Please review!  
  



	20. TwEnTy

****

A/N: Thank you Sebastian 1, Xiowolfe, and Wolvies gal 1 for your reviews! ^__^

****

~*~*~

Batman: I am vengeance! I am the night! I am Batman!  
-Batman

~*~*~

Bruce pushed open the kitchen door and casually walked in.

It had been one day since Hank returned with the Fear gas antidote and he never felt better… well he was a little hungry and had had to go to the bathroom like no other, but that was all. 

"I see that you are feeling well again." Hank smiled sipping at his coffee. 

Bruce nodded fixing himself a bowl of cereal, "I had thought that by now I would be immune to that stuff." He frowned slightly at the choices of cereal he had, 'Corn Pops.'

Hank set his mug down on the table and picked up the news paper Logan had been reading earlier, "I must say, I was almost mugged three times in that city of yours. I must have gone through a bad part of town or something." 

"Good ol' Gotham City," Bruce muttered dryly as he dug his spoon into the cereal, he lifted a bit up to his mouth and paused, "How was Alfred doing?" 

"Fine. He told me to tell you to call next time you leave dimensions… something about supper being cold now…" Hank furrowed his eyebrows in thought.

Bruce chuckled taking his bowl to the table and sat down. A few minutes later Jack, Virginia, Hayley, Jean, and Rogue walked in finding themselves something to eat. 

Rogue peered into the 'fridge and frowned, "Hank? Did Logan eat the rest of the bacon?" 

"I believe he made some Rogue… but I don't think he ate the whole package." Hank replied receiving an angry glare from Rogue. 

"He would…" She muttered darkly then sighed searching through the 'fridge for something else. 

Virginia flopped down in the chair across from Bruce, "What kind of cereal are you eating?" She asked hesitantly.

Bruce swallowed his mouthful and sat his spoon down in the bowl, "Corn Pops." He replied watching Virginia carefully. 

"Oh…" She said softly, her eyebrows knitting together in what Bruce assumed was thought.

Bruce raised an eyebrow, "What?" 

"I think that's been in the cupboard for about a year now." Virginia smiled sheepishly brushing her bangs out of her face. 

"That would explain why it tastes so stale." Bruce frowned looking down at his bowl. 

~*~*~

Being a hot summer day most everyone was down at the pool swimming and or sunbathing. Bobby pouted at Rahne, his feet dangling in the water, "I wanna swim." He kicked his legs splashing Rahne who glared at him.

"Not until you're healed enough, you know that." Rahne said splashing him back.

Roberto looked up from his and Rob's game of 'Go Fish', "Quit your whining, Bobby," Bobby looked over his shoulder at him and stuck his tongue out, "Alright then now you _can't _play cards with us." 

Rob nodded, "Because you're being mean!" 

"Eh," Bobby shrugged turning back to Rahne who had swam off to talk to Kitty, "Hey!" 

Robert snickered turning his back to Bobby who was pouting all over again. 

"It feels like things are getting back to normal." Hayley smiled folding her arms under her head in a make-shift pillow. 

"Normal? This is normal?" Jack raised his eyebrows.

"When ya live around here it is." Rogue nodded sliding her sunglasses off her head and over her eyes. 

"Luke!" Nikki shouted and a moment later a large wolf came bounding out of the mansion lunging into the pool splashing Bobby. 

Bobby frowned angrily and climbed to his feet grabbing his towel finding it soaking wet. 

'Sorry.' Luke sent to Bobby as he dog paddled his way to the edge of the pool and jumped out. 

Bobby snorted, "Right." He frowned turning around.

Luke grinned evilly and shook off spraying Bobby. 

"Oh… that does it dog-boy!" Bobby shouted lunging after Luke who swiftly dodged and jumped back into the pool splashing Bobby once again.

"Come on Luke!" Nikki shouted at the wolf from the edge of the pool, "I wanna go for a walk!" 

Luke climbed out of the pool next to Nikki and followed along side the boy around the mansion. Bobby glared daggers at Roberto and Rob who were holding their stomachs as the laughed at him. 

"T-that was priceless!" Roberto gasped out through laughs. 

"What was priceless?" Virginia asked walking out of the back door in a T-shirt and shorts, Bruce and Logan following behind her both looking a tad bit miffed. 

While Roberto told Virginia what happened the two men went and sat down on separate lawn chairs and glared at the pool. 

"What happened to you two?" Rogue smirked lifting her sunglasses up a bit. 

Logan looked at her, "Had to go grocery shopping…" He sighed and looked away. 

Rogue raised an eyebrow and exchanged a look with Hayley, "So…?" 

"They're acting like that because I made them by a box of pads for us." Virginia told Rogue as she sat down next to Bruce.

Both Logan and Bruce winced slightly, a light blush colored their cheeks. 

Rob turned to Roberto looking confused, " What's a 'pad'?" 

"You'll learn in due time." Roberto patted Rob on the back snickering quietly under his breath. 

~*~*~

The portal opened in a blaze of white and blue light washing the small room in a warm glow. Batman stood at the opening of the portal gazing inside, he turned and looked back at the group his eyes searching for the one person not there. 

"She wouldn't come." Logan grunted to him knowing exactly who Batman was looking for.

Rogue looked over at Logan and frowned slightly then turned back to Batman as Logan's arm snaked around her waist. 

Batman nodded, his emotionless white eyes turned to Hank, "Thanks." He said, his voice that of Batman and not Bruce Wayne like it had been all morning long.

"You're welcome. Come back and visit anytime."

No, he wouldn't be coming back but he nodded anyways and turned for the portal walking through it without looking back. 

"Wait!" A voice cried out as the door swung open slamming against the wall with a loud *Bang!* 

Everyone turned to see Virginia standing in the doorway panting hard as though she had ran the whole three miles there.

Her eyes flew to the still open portal, "He…" The words died in her mouth as she took a step forward.

No one said anything as she walked up to the portal wall and stood there staring at it. 

"Red," Logan started unwrapping his arm from Rogue, walking up to Virginia and rested his hands on her shoulders, "He had ta go…" 

Virginia nodded allowing herself to be guided away from the portal, Hank started to close it down and at the last moment Virginia tore herself away from Logan and broke for the portal. 

~*~

__

Well I don't know what to say  
Because there's truth to what you say  
I know it kills you I'm this way  
There's something different every day  
  
Could It Be that  
I never had the chance to grow inside?  
Could It Be that  
My habit is to find a place to hide  
Could It Be that  
Sometimes I say things just to disagree?  
Could It Be that  
I'm only being me?  
  
Not easy living in my mind  
A little peace is hard to find  
My every thought is undermined  
By all the history inside  
  
-Could It Be by Staind. 

~*~*~

A/N: Please Review!!


	21. Chapter Twenty1

A/N: Thank you Wolvies gal 1, Xiowolfe, Sebastian 1, and The Awakener Viari for the reviews! ^___^ Cookies for everyone!

A/N#2: The song 'Waited' is by Our Lady Peace and isn't mine. ((Obviously _ ))

~*~*~

**Batman:** "Last chance...and I can't believe I'm trying to convince you..."

"World War Three Part Six : Mageddon"

~*~*~

The tips of her fingers reached out for the glowing blue light, she was almost there when Logan grabbed her around the waist and the portal closed down completely. 

Logan sat Virginia down keeping his hands on her shoulders, "Red, think about what yer doin'." 

"You of all people should know what I was doing!" Virginia hissed pulling out of Logan's grasp, she glared at him a moment longer before she turned and walked from the room. 

 _Hit the ground  
weighed down again  
you walked out  
but I'm sure you're my friend_

 ((Two Months Later))

With the blinds closed and curtains draped shut the room was in complete darkness, even the little clock on her nightstand had a hand towel thrown over it. Virginia sniffled softly and pulled the blanket up over her head with a grunt, with the edge of her blanket she wiped the tears from her eyes and buried her head further into her pillows. The door suddenly swung open and the hall light came streaming in straight into her face. Hissing in pain, Virginia shielded her eyes with her arm.

 "Close the door! Close the door!!" She whined almost pitifully.

The door closed, "Sorry," A deep voice rasped, "Forgot 'bout the migraine," Logan crossed the room and sat down on the edge of Virginia's bed, "Is it getting any better?" 

Virginia pulled the blankets away from her face and sighed, "Sort of… no." She admitted to Logan's outline as she sat up pulling her knees to her chest.

 Logan smirked, "Could I get ya some aspirin or somethin'?" 

 "No, no I don't like taking pills… " Virginia cringed slightly her left hand rubbing the base of her neck. 

 _It must have been good_

_This can't be for good  
Everyone's....  
Is everyone OK_

 "Alright Red," He said softly, "Want dinner? It's in an hour." 

Virginia shook her head then frowned realizing that he probably couldn't see her, "No… I'm not hungry." 

Logan snorted softly and the bed shifted as he stood, Virginia laid back down pulling the blankets over her eyes. The bright light from the hallway briefly lit up her room before the door was closed and the room became pitch black again. 

 Stifling a yawn with the back of her hand, Virginia turned over finding something cold and metallic lying on her pillow. Picking it up she suddenly remembered what it was and almost laughed out loud, it was a Bat-a-rang she had found it several weeks earlier in the yard. Flipping the metal bat over in her hand she frowned slightly, she had said she had given up waiting for him to come back, as she had given up on the idea of finding him. The others had talked her out of it, said that they needed her here and they couldn't risk opening the portal again. 

 Bull shit.

Flipping the bat-a-rang over once more she tossed it onto the floor and curled up under the blankets, 'I wonder…' She thought blearily the pounding in her skull finally beginning to subside, 'Should I keep waiting…?' _  
 I waited  
But I must be too dumb to be proud  
Because I waited, I waited_

Falling into a deep sleep, Virginia dreamt that she was in some sort of dark city wandering around the streets. The people she came across looked wary and hardly even gave her a glance. Strange enough the city looked familiar, as though she had been there before or maybe had just seen pictures of it. She tripped and fell and was suddenly in bed again, but this time in a different room and there was a man sleeping beside her. She tried to look at his face to see who it was and found that he didn't even have a face. 

 Suddenly the windows blew open and a bat flew in…

 _Woke to sounds  
I prayed you were there  
I fell back down  
But I'm sure you still care _

Sitting straight up, this time in her own room and as awake as she could be, Virginia glanced around the room looking for the bat. 

 "There's no bat… It was just a dream." She sighed swiping her bangs from her eyes. 

A soft breeze flew in from the open window cooling the stuffy room. Virginia stilled, her muscles tensed as she turned to the window that she _hadn't _opened. The shadows shifted and moved, Virginia threw the blankets back and climbed to her feet.

 "Bruce?" She whispered.

A figure moved swiftly across the room and caught her in its' arms clasping a hand over her mouth muffling her scream. 

 "Shh…" It rasped, "Don't scream." 

Virginia nodded and the hand was removed, twisting around she smacked the man across the face. 

 "What the Hell!?" She shouted, "Bruce! You scared the crap out of me!" 

 Batman chuckled softly, "Sorry." He smirked pulling her back into his arms. 

Virginia sighed resting her head against his chest, "I thought you weren't coming back… How _did _you come back?" She asked pulling back slightly to look at his face. 

Bruce pulled the cowl off dropping it to the floor, "I had the portal already, it just took me some time to battle my-"

 "Ego?" Virginia cut in smiling. 

 "I was going to say pride, but I guess that works too."

 "What did Alfred say to you?" 

 'He uh… actually pushed me through."  

Virginia laughed leaning back into him, it wasn't until then that she realized how much she missed him. 

 "Come back with me." Bruce whispered, running his fingers through her hair. 

Virginia pulled back surprised, "To Gotham…? Bruce I don't…" 

Bruce silenced her with a kiss, "Think about it." He said softly kissing her again before disappearing back out the window and into the night. 

~*~*~

A/N: Please Review!!! ^___^ 


	22. C4PT3R TW3NTY2

**A/N:** Thank you Xiowolfe, Sebastian 1, The Awakener Viari, and Wolvies gal 1 for the reviews!!! ^____^ 

**~*~*~**

**Batman:** "We ALWAYS win!"

"World War Three Part Six : Mageddon"

~*~*~

The mansion was slowly becoming warmer again; laughter was almost a common thing now. 

 _"Be a man! We must be as swift as the raging river…"_

Giggling and laughing exploded from the T.V room as the song for the Disney movie 'Mulan' played in the background. Virginia smiled dropping her bag in the doorway as she entered the room finding Rob and the last person she ever expected, Logan watching the animated movie. Rob giggled at the clips of the 'men' falling into the water and trying to shoot arrows through apples into a tree. 

 "I could do that…" Logan muttered under his breath.

 "I'm sure." Virginia smirked having caught Logan off guard. 

He glared at her them chuckled shaking his head, "What ch'ya up ta, Red?" He asked then noticed the bag, his eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Going somewhere?" 

Virginia looked down at her backpack and nodded, "Yea."

 "Coming back?" 

Rob sat up, "You're leaving, Virginia?" 

 "Yea kiddo," She smiled sadly, "I'll be back." She said, although her eyes said that she didn't know when. 

Logan frowned climbing to his feet, "You going ta find 'im?" He asked softly as soon as Rob turned back to his movie.

 "I already found him," Virginia said as she picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder, "Tell the others I said goodbye?" 

 Logan nodded, "Good luck out there Red." He didn't want to say it, he didn't want her to leave to a place he heard so much about, and none of it good, but he had too. 

 "Thanks Logan," She smiled giving him a hug, "See ya around Rob!" She waved to the little boy as she left the room.

 "Bye!" Rob waved back his eyes glued to the T.V. 

Logan watched her walk out the door then sighed turning back to the movie he had promised to watch with Rob.

~*~*~ 

The streets of Gotham were just like the comics only in 3-D and real. Virginia looked up at Bruce, her backpack over his shoulder as they walked to his car. 

 "Didn't you have any appointments today?" She asked climbing into the backseat of the limo Alfred had met them in. 

Bruce shook his head, "Nope, not today. Canceled them all."  

 "Good afternoon Madam." Alfred said in his light dry voice as he stepped on the gas. 

Virginia smiled, "Good afternoon Alfred, how are you today?" 

 "Very well madam, and yourself."

 "Great." Virginia grinned turning to Bruce, "I don't know if I can get used to someone calling me 'Madam'." She whispered to him. 

Bruce smiled, "Oh!" He started looking around the car for something, finding what he was looking for he handed it to Virginia, "I picked this up for you." 

 "What is it?" Virginia asked glancing down at the magazine, "'X-men'?" She raised an eyebrow at Bruce.

 "Open it." 

Shrugging, Virginia flipped open the cover, "Oh. My. God." 

~*~*~

((One Week Later))

 "Did you guys see this!?" Bobby shouted running into the kitchen where most of the mansions' population was gathered. 

 "See what?" Jean asked eyeing the magazine Bobby was flailing in the air.

Logan walked by and snatched the magazine out of Bobby's hands and glanced at the cover, "What's this? A new 'Batman' comic book? Haven't you had enough of this?"

 "Yea Really," Rahne chimed in, "You met the real thing, I'd think by now…" Bobby shot a look at Rahne then grabbed the comic book back from Logan.

He opened it and flipped through a few pages, laying the book down on the table for everyone to see he pointed to a page. There were a few boxes of Superman and Batman talking about something, Logan raised an eyebrow, "So…?"

 "Read it!" Bobby barked and Logan scowled at him tempted not to just to spite the boy.

Luke picked up the book, "Superman says, 'Are you serious Bruce?' Batman just glares at him and Superman looks shocked." Luke raised his eyebrows and flipped the page, "Superman says, 'Well then... congratulations! When's the big day?'"

Logan snatched the comic from Luke and began flipping through the pages, "Holy shit." He muttered stopping.

 "What is it sugah?" Rogue leaned over his, "Shit!" She gasped then pulled back laughing, "She did it!" 

Logan dropped the comic book onto the table for everyone to see. The group crowded around the table and gawked at the picture set before them. A familiar picture of a woman with strawberry blond hair and blue eyes with red specks stared back at them with the caption at the bottom, _'Her name's Virginia.' _  

~*~*~

_I swear that I can go on forever again  
please let me know that my one bad day will end  
I will go down as your lover, your friend  
give me your lips and with one kiss we begin  
  
Are you afraid of being alone  
cause I am, I'm lost without you  
are you afraid of leaving tonight  
cause I am, I'm lost without you  
  
I'll leave my room open till sunrise for you  
I'll keep my eyes patiently focused on you  
where are you now I can hear footsteps, I'm dreaming  
and if you will, keep me from waking to believe this_

**I'm Lost Without You –Blink 182**

**~*~*~**

THE END 

**~*~*~*~**

A/N: Thank you everyone for reading! Hoped you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. ^____^

Please REVIEW!**  
  
**


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